Report: Supplements could cause drug interactions

More seniors than ever are taking a multitude of supplements with their medications — a practice that puts them at risk for dangerous drug interactions, according to a recent report by the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

The national report, released March 21, showed that more than 15 percent of Americans between 62 and 85 years old took life-threatening combinations of prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements — almost a twofold increase from 2005, when 8.4 percent of seniors did so.

Lead researcher Dr. Dima Qato, an assistant professor of pharmacy systems at the University of Illinois, said while a drug may be beneficial when it’s used alone, it can be dangerous mixed with other medications without a doctor’s approval.

“Alongside the growing use of multiple medications, there is also a hidden and increasing risk of potentially deadly drug interactions in older adults,” Qato said.

She said many of these interactions involved heart drugs and supplements, such as omega-3 fish-oil supplements.

The study found that the number of seniors taking five or more medications or supplements increased from roughly 53 percent in 2005 to more than 67 percent.

Over the same period, the use of over-the-counter medications dropped from roughly 44 percent to almost 38 percent. At the same time, the use of dietary supplements rose from 52 percent to nearly 64 percent.

For the study, Judy Jou, from the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, analyzed survey data for nearly 7,500 adults.

Of that number, more than 42 percent reported they didn’t tell their doctor about the supplements they were taking or alternative treatments they were trying. She said most of the seniors that responded said it was most often because their doctor didn’t ask or patients felt the doctor didn’t need to know.

“Encouraging discussion of complementary and alternative medicine use can help prevent medical complications that may arise from simultaneous use of conventional and complementary and alternative medicines and treatments, as well as improving communication and trust between patients and providers,” Jou said.

For more information, visit the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health website at https://nccih.nih.gov.

Reporter Katheryn Houghton may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at khoughton@dailyinterlake.com.