“Cure yesterday of my disease, I died last night of my doctor”, says Matthew Prior, a famous pharmacologist, while talking about the deleterious effects of drugs in his book “The remedy worse than the disease”. There is no shortage of patients dying from the wrong treatment. disorder destined to disappear in a short duration.

In this age of drugs, we must become familiar with the term “iatrogenic disease (illness caused by a doctor)”. When a doctor administers medication without a full understanding of the patient’s condition, the drugs wreak havoc. A person can become a victim of a worse disease or even lose his life.

With Analgin, for example, special precautions should be taken in case of pregnancy, bronchial asthma, kidney and liver dysfunctions and blood-related disorders. It has been banned in several countries, including the US and Sweden, due to its unexpected and negative effects leading to one even death from anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactic shock is a process that leads to a severe drop in blood pressure, bronchoconstriction, inflammation of the blood and lymphatic vessels, and sometimes death due to fluid loss in these vessels. Anaphylaxis usually occurs suddenly, minutes after the administration of a drug. The well-known drug penicillin, and many other drugs, can cause anaphylaxis.

The term “side effects” is part of the vocabulary of a sick layman, but adverse drug reactions are known only to a more conscientious and literate patient.

Ciprofloxacin, when given for an ear infection, can cause vertigo and amoxicillin, while fighting a throat infection, can damage the stomach. Similarly, while chemotherapy given for cancer can lead to indigestion and hair loss, steroids given continuously can lead to obesity and diabetes.

Drugs are intended to eliminate the disease. In the quest to avoid the misery of disease, man has invented medicines that can cause disease. Illness caused by a drug can be short-term or long-term. Side effects are short-term and predictable. Unpredictable and unusual reactions are called adverse reactions. A variety of medications cure many diseases, but they have also been known to cause irregular heartbeats and even sudden death.

A strong sense of responsibility on the part of the physician and an attitude of extreme caution on the part of the patient can substantially help to cover at least some, if not all, of the risks of medications. There are many factors that help a doctor in his choice and use of the drug. A patient’s medical history, age, gender, personality, environment, and education all help decide the course of treatment. The very old and the very young are likely to suffer because their bodies are less tolerant. Older children can sometimes be more tolerant than adults. The elderly tend to respond better to standard doses of medications. But smaller body size, slow blood flow to vital organs, decreased metabolic capacity, and a tendency to multiple physical problems all contribute to adverse reactions.

Q:

An “Iatrogenic disease” is an ailment caused by……………………………

• 1
  infection in the hospital ward
• 2
  overdose of anaesthetic
• 3
  the wrong administration of drugs by a physician
• 4
  self-medication and buying drugs over the counter