PAIN MISMANAGEMENT

Chronic use of prescription and overthecounter pain medications is becoming
a public health problem, the American Medical Association reported last week,
largely because many people are unaware of the drugs' potential for causing
harmful side effects.

Michael B. Kimmey, director of gastrointestinal endoscopy at the University
of Washington Medical Center, said at an AMA briefing last week that people
who take nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin
and ibuprofen, for several months may suffer such gastric side effects as
dyspepsia, ulcers and mucosal lesions.

The warnings may be of particular interest to seniors. A recent survey
conducted for the National Council on the Aging found that nearly one in five
Americans over age 60 regularly takes medicine for chronic pain and that
about a quarter of those who do report suffering from side effects.
Gastrointestinal complications attributed to NSAIDs are responsible for more
than 70,000 hospitalizations each year.

The AMA said consumers should be cautious in taking pain medicine.

Seniors who use overthecounter pain medications.

Daily 51%

Several times a week 17%

Several times a month 17%

Less often than that 15%

SOURCE: Pain and Older Americans Survey conducted by Louis Harris and
Associates for the National Council on the Aging

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