Too many
pharmaceuticals just aren't safe. The shocking truth is that drug
complications are the third leading cause of death in America! Only heart disease and cancer cause more deaths than our
pharmaceutical armamentareum! How necessary is it to use drugs
that can cause problems serious enough to put you in the hospital,
cause permanent disability, or even kill you? The April 15,
1998 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA,
contains a revealing article authored by Jason Lazarou, et al, that
exposes the magnitude and seriousness of "adverse drug reactions" in
US hospitals. (1)
These authors evaluated 39 prospective studies between 1966 and 1996 that assessed
these issues. They didn't include errors in drug
administration, non-compliance, or "possible" adverse reactions. Their goal was to identify those complications that were solely
related to the use of drugs as recommended by the manufacturer.
What they
discovered was shocking! The overall incidence of
hospitalizations related to adverse drug reactions was 6.7%, and the
associated death rate, 0.32%. This translates into 2.2 million
serious drug reactions, and 106,000 deaths every year in America, at
an estimated cost of as much as $4 billion per year.(2, 3)
When this data is
combined with previous studies that document the impact of errors in
drug administration, these numbers more than double. Now, we
are looking at over 5 million serious complications of
pharmaceuticals, and over 200,000 deaths every year in the US.
Based on misinformation in excess of 15% of all hospitalizations are
the result of complications of drugs even more frightening it means
that there is more than one death for every 145 hospitalizations in
the US that is related to the drug therapy that is supposed to be
saving our lives.
We all know that's
many lives are saved because of pharmaceutical drugs. in view of the
JAMA article, the question we should now be asking ourselves is,
"Are there natural alternatives that are effective and safe, that
should be considered before turning to unnatural (synthetic)
pharmaceuticals that have been shown to cause serious disabilities
or even kill us?"
JAMA's important
data provides considerable fuel for the paradigm shift that is
moving through America at the speed of light. We have awakened
to the fact that conventional medicine does not have all the
answers. Hilary Clinton was correct in the early 1990s, when
she pointed out that conventional medicine can be lifesaving in
crisis situations, but has failed in managing chronic diseases and
in containing costs. Because of these skyrocketing costs, few
of us can afford private insurance, the government is going broke in
its Medicare system, and American industry has lost its competitive
edge in its dealings with foreign markets. And, what is worse,
neither patients nor physicians are satisfied with the aftereffects
of these issues, that have led to the development of care that is
managed by insurance companies — "managed care"
The American public
is going back to the future, as it is rediscovering what the father
of modern medicine, Hippocrates, proposed 2500 years ago: "Let food
be our medicine, and medicine be our food." There are many
examples where it is conventional to use a potentially dangerous
pharmaceutical, when an equally or more effective, far safer, and
better tolerated neutraceuticals can be employed. Let's take a
look at a few classic examples of this.
Aspirin and other
NSAIDs on the direct cause of between 10-15,000 deaths, as well as
over 200,000 admissions to US hospitals every year! It is difficult
to justify that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, see
table 1) are the mainstay of treatment for
osteoarthritis, when a clearly superior natural alternative like
glucosamine sulfate is readily available. Most of this
morbidity and mortality is related to the propensity of NSAIDs to
cause ulceration and bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, and
kidney deterioration. It may be fortunate that as many as 40% of
patients have found it necessary to discontinue long term use of
these drugs because of intolerable or dangerous side effects (see
table 2).
NSAIDs can be
effective in relieving the pain. There is no evidence showing
that progression of the underlying disease process is improved in
any way, while there is suspicion that they might aggravate the
underlying arthritic process! (5, 6) There is
clear evidence demonstrating that single doses of NSAIDs cause
profound abnormalities in the anatomy and physiology of the
intestinal lining that leads to the development of so-called "leaky
gut syndrome." (7, 8) This very common and
serious disorder creates an increased burden on liver detoxification
and on immune function that compromises our capacity to restore and
maintain good health.
Glucosamine sulfate
has been compared in head-to-head studies with NSAIDs, and has been
found to be equally effective in relieving pain and inflammation. (9,
10) There is a slightly better initial relief of pain with
NSAIDs, but after four weeks, glucosamine sulfate has been shown to
be superior. And there has never been even a single reported
hospitalization or death related to the use of this natural
substance, which is normally produced by the human body.
Because glucosamine sulfate is the major building block of healthy
joint cartilage, it may actually reverse the arthritic process (11),
and is rarely discontinued because of side effects. Contrary to
NSAIDs, it helps protect against the development of ulcers and leaky
gut syndrome, and does not cause kidney disease.
This information is
substantiated by over 250 research articles on glucosamine sulfate.
Earlier this year, TV's 20/20 News reported similar
conclusions. Sales of glucosamine sulfate have skyrocketed, further
demonstrating that the American public believes that this
nutraceutical is safe and effective. At the same time, the
pharmaceutical industry continues to sell billions of dollars of
NSAIDs every year for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Hypertension is a
scary problem. It is called the silent killer, as it often causes no
symptoms until after you've had your heart attack or stroke. It
affects over 60 million Americans. There is abundant medical
research documenting the value of controlling hypertension to
prevent heart attacks and strokes, and to prolong life. While it is
up important to lower high blood pressure, it is also important that
the treatment not be more dangerous than the disease itself.
Managing hypertension
with the so-called "calcium channel blockers" provides another
example where natural alternatives are far safer and equally
effective. A recent article in the Journal, American Family
Physician, was based on the world literature search on the
safety of calcium channel blockers. The authors reported that
"recent studies have shown an association between the use of calcium
channel antagonists for the treatment of hypertension and an
increased risk of myocardial infarction, gastrointestinal
hemorrhage, and cancer." (12) Their data
documents that these very serious "complications" may actually occur
almost twice as often as those untreated with these drugs!
Natural therapies
should be thought of before considering the use of of synthetic
pharmaceutical drug because of their safety, effectiveness, and high
tolerance. It is common knowledge that maintaining an ideal
weight, reducing stress, exercising regularly, eating a healthy
diet, and avoiding alcohol, tobacco, caffeine and salt are important
factors that can reduce blood pressure dramatically. Natural
substances such as celery, garlic, onions, flax seed oil, magnesium,
calcium, and potassium that can lower blood pressure significantly
and extremely safely, are rarely recommended by conventional medical
doctors. (13) Each of these natural substances,
which have important general nutritional value as well, have been
shown to lower blood pressure between 5-15 systolic and 5-10
diastolic points.
America has been
terrorized by fear of the effects of high cholesterol, which include
a high Association with heart attacks and strokes. There is good
data showing that for every 1% rise in LDL cholesterol ("bad"
cholesterol), particularly above 130 mg/dl, there is a 2% increase
in heart attacks, and that for every 1% rise in HDL (good"
cholesterol), there is a 3-4% decrease in heart attacks. The
pharmaceutical industry has responded to these fears by developing
the "statin" drugs (see table 3), which have
been shown to lower total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides, while
raising HDL. There is also data that demonstrates a decrease in
heart attacks and strokes, and increased survival.
This information
sounds pretty good, but how safe are these statin drugs, and, are
they really the best solution for the cholesterol issue? JAMA
published an article in 1996 that reviewed "carcinogenicity of lipid
lowering drugs." This article concluded that the risk for
carcinogenicity associated with the use of the Staton's, is far
above recently issued FDA guidelines. (14)
Although extrapolation from animal studies to humans is an uncertain
process, this kind of data was impressive enough that the members
of the division of metabolism and and endocrine drug products for
the FDA recommended that Lovastatin (Mevacor) be avoided except in
patients at high risk for immediate heart attack or stroke! (15)
They are contraindicated in patients with active liver disease,
pregnancy, or women in the childbearing age that could get pregnant,
and in cases where there is an allergy to the drug. They can cause a
severe inflammation of muscles that can result in kidney failure,
and this must be watched for. It causes testicular atrophy,
decreased spermatogenesis, and decreased fertility in rats, but
effects in humans are unknown. In addition, there are more than 50
reported severe "side effects" listed in the PDR (Physician's Desk
Reference) that have been reported in 0.5 - 1.0% of patients taking
these drugs. If there were 10 million people on these drugs that
would mean that up to 100,000 patients could have one of these
problems.
There are much safer and equally effective natural approaches to
solving the cholesterol problem that begin with lifestyle
modification. Maintaining an ideal weight, enjoying adequate
exercise, eliminating stress, and eating a healthy diet, on the
foundation for this approach. Each of these factors has a
profound potential to improve cholesterol values, and they have no
downside. If lifestyle modification fails to bring cholesterol
values in the normal range, nature circles such as niacin, panther
been, garlic, and gugulipid should be considered. These products are
natural, effective, and safe additions to the management of abnormal
cholesterol values.
Niacin has been
studied since the 1950s for its effect on cholesterol. it has
greater HDL-raising effects than the statin's, and for this reason
has an overall greater ability to reduce the risk of heart attacks
and strokes. In addition, it has significant beneficial effects on
other important independent risk factors for heart attack and stroke
that include lowering of lipoprotein (a) and of fibrinogen
(increases clotting).
Niacin has been shown
to reduce mortality that was documented in the Coronary Drug Project
over a 15-year period. (16) An interesting aspect
of the study was that the effects of niacin were long lasting, even
though it may have been discontinued many years prior to the
completion of the study.
Niacin has some
limitations in its use. It can cause flushing, especially if
not gradually increased of her period of weeks, and, it should not
be used in diabetics, as it can upset glucose control. The
preferred form of niacin is inositol hexaniacinate, which is not
sustained release niacin (which tends to cause liver toxicity), and
does not cause flushing. However, in situations where patients have
pre-existing liver disease or abnormal liver tests, there are very
effective alternatives such as gugulipid, garlic, or pantethine that
should be considered.
Western medicine does
not make a genuinely serious attempt to explore nutritional
therapies. It is unrealistic to expect an MD, who is given an
average of 60 minutes of nutritional training in medical school, to
be capable of practicing nutritional medicine. The public has
been lulled into taking a lazy and disinterested position in
assuming responsibility for their own health issues... a
potentially lethal situation. Drugs are looked at as simple,
easy "silver bullets" that can do for you what you might be able to
do for yourself. The importance of taking personal responsibility to
be involved with solving our own health issues is becoming more and
more evident.
The pharmaceutical
industry is not entirely to blame for this situation. Let's
face it, when there is consumer demand for a product, a smart
businessman will try to fill the meat. The problem is that when the
business is good, and income is high, and there is an alternative
approach on the horizon that threatens continued high sales,
businessmen will often "do what is necessary" to insure that product
sales remain high. What begins as a service can evolve into a
materialistic issue that can have little to do with your health.
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