What Americans Die From: Xnumx The Most Dangerous Addictions

There is an epidemic of opioid addiction in America. According to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, about 70 Americans die each year from drug overdoses. While prescription painkillers, as well as street drugs, certainly contribute to the rise in opioid deaths, they are not solely to blame. There are a number of seemingly harmless drugs that can be dangerous.

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Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. More Americans die from drug overdoses than from traffic accidents, which are also often the result of substance abuse—nearly half of fatal car accidents involve alcohol or other substances, writes USA Today.

To better understand the likelihood of death from using a certain substance, it is important to study the substance itself - its properties, interactions with other drugs, alcohol, and the permitted frequency of use.

The vast majority of people who drink alcohol in the United States (more than half of Americans) do so responsibly. Millions of people also take painkillers every day and do not deviate from the prescribed dose. And while prescription opioid overdose is a major factor in the epidemic, many Americans need these drugs because of truly serious health problems. Approximately half of all people in the United States regularly use at least one prescription drug.

On the subject: 46 deaths a day: how legal painkillers make Americans addicts

24/7 Wall Street reviewed the 25 most dangerous drugs and mixtures, examining side effects and mortality rates, as well as the potential risk of drug combinations, as measured by medical news organizations and web sources such as MedScape, WebMD and the American Medical Association.

Many of these drugs are generally considered safe when taken on their own and under the right conditions. They are only deadly if combined incorrectly with other substances. But it is important to remember that no drug is absolutely safe. Some common over-the-counter drugs may pose a much greater risk than rare drugs with a high rate of possible side effects—simply because the former are more readily available.

Here are 25 substances that can lead to serious health problems and even death.

1. Acetaminophen

• Names / Types: Tylenol, Mapap, Feverall
• Appointment: painkiller
• Fatal: in excess, in combination with alcohol, other painkillers containing acetaminophen
• Risks: long-term liver damage, liver intoxication, death

2. Alcohol

• Names / types: beer, wine, liquor
• Purpose: relaxation
• Fatal: in combination with benzodiazepines, many other drugs
• Risks: damage and impaired liver function, high blood pressure, death as a result of impaired motor function

3. Anti-anxiety medications (benzodiazepines)

• Names / Types: Xanax, Valium, Klonopin
• Prescribing: Anxiety Treatment
• Fatal: in combination with barbiturates, opioids or alcohol
• Risks: overdose, dementia

4. Anticoagulants

• Names / Types: Warfarin, Xarelto, Heparin
• Appointment: prevention of blood clots
• Fatal: in combination with aspirin and other blood thinners
• Risks: internal and external bleeding

5. Antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs)

• Names / Types: Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft
• Appointment: treatment of depression
• Fatal: other drugs that affect serotonin, opioids, NSAIDs
• Risks: serotonin syndrome, suicide, internal bleeding

6. Antihypertensive drugs

• Names / Types: Hytrin, Cardura, Minipress
• Appointment: high blood pressure
• Fatal: in combination with NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and diuretics
• Risks: high blood pressure, acute renal failure, cerebrovascular complications

7. Bromocriptine

• Names / Types: Parlodel, Cycloset
• Purpose: tumors, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes
• Fatal: in combination with pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
• Risks: stomach bleeding, cramps, death

8. Clarithromycin

• Names / Types: Clarithromycin
• Purpose: antibiotic
• Fatal: in combination with calcium channel blockers, statins like Lipitor
• Risks: fatal heart complications

9. Clozapine

• Names / Types: Clozaril
• Appointment: schizophrenia
• Fatal: in combination with alcohol
• Risks: gastrointestinal hypomotoric

On the subject: The pharmaceutical company will pay Oklahoma $ 85 million due to an opioid crisis in the state

10. Cocaine

• Names / Types: crack, coke, blow
• Purpose: recreational stimulant, analgesic
• Fatal: in excess in combination with heroin and opiates
• Risks: death, heart attack, high blood pressure

11. Colchicine

• Names / Types: Colcrys, Mitigare
• Purpose: Gout
• Fatal: in combination with potent CYP3A4 inhibitors
• Risks: toxicity leading to death

12. Cough medicine

• Names / Types: NyQuil, Robitussin, Theraflu
• Appointment: cough
• Fatal: in combination with antihistamines
• Risks: increased sedation leading to death

13. Digoxin

• Names / Types: Lanoxin
• Appointment: heart diseases
• Fatal: in combination with quinidine
• Risks: nausea, vomiting, death

14. Heroin and semi-synthetic opioids

• Names / Types: Percocet, Vicodin, Oxycontin
• Appointment: painkiller
• Fatal: in excess, combined with cocaine and other drugs
• Risks: accidental overdose

15. MDMA

• Names / Types: Ecstasy
• Purpose: recreational euphoria
• Fatal: in excess, combined with alcohol, SSRIs
• Risks: serotonin syndrome, shock, coma, death

16. Methamphetamine

• Names / Types: Crystal meth, Desoxyn
• Appointment: stimulator
• Fatal: in case of accidental overdose
• Risks: tooth loss, brain damage, death

17. Methotrexate

• Names / Types: Trexall, Rasuvo, Otrexup
• Purpose: cancer, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis
• Fatal: too frequent use in combination with probenecid
• Risk: liver, lung, or kidney damage, death

18. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)

• Names / Types: Advil, Aspirin, Ibuprofen
• Appointment: anti-inflammatory, painkillers
• Fatal: in combination with other blood thinners
• Risks: heart attack, stroke, Reye syndrome

19. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

• Names / Types: Celexa, Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro
• Prescription: Depression
• Fatal: in combination with other drugs that affect serotonin levels
• Risks: serotonin syndrome, increased suicide risk

On the subject: Dozens of doctors in the United States prescribed opioid drugs to patients in exchange for money and sex

20. Sildenafil

• Names / Types: Viagra, Revatio
• Purpose: erectile dysfunction
• Fatal: in combination with isosorbide mononitrate
• Risks: death, a sharp drop in blood pressure

21. Spironolactone

• Names / Types: Aldactone, CaroSpir
• Appointment: high blood pressure
• Fatal: in combination with potassium chloride
• Risks: hyperkalemia

22. Statins

• Names / Types: Lipitor, Lescol, Crestor
• Purpose: heart disease
• Fatal: in combination with fluconazole
• Risks: muscle weakness and damage or kidney failure

23. Synthetic opioids

• Names / Types: Fentanyl, Actiq, Duragesic, Meperidine, Methadone
• Appointment: painkiller
• Fatal: in excess, combined with cocaine and other drugs
• Risks: accidental overdose

24. TMP / SMX (trimethoprim / sulfamethoxazole)

• Names / Types: Bactrim, Sulfatrim
• Purpose: antibiotic
• Fatal: in combination with antihypertensive agents
• Risks: hyperkalemia

25. Tobacco

• Names / types: cigarettes, cigars, pipe and chewing tobacco
• Appointment: stimulator
• Fatal: risk increases over time
• Risks: lung and heart disease, cancer.

Read also on ForumDaily:

46 deaths a day: how legal painkillers make Americans addicts

Impaired brain function: why is it dangerous to allow marijuana to people younger than 25

The pharmaceutical company will pay Oklahoma $ 85 million due to an opioid crisis in the state

Dozens of doctors in the United States prescribed opioid drugs to patients in exchange for money and sex

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