Posted On: Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 8:51 am
Decreased appetite can be an unwanted drug side effect. For those who take 5 or more different medications a day, the result could be disastrous, according to this recent study.
Medicines can have side effects like upset stomachs, nausea or dry mouth. For elderly patients who take three or more medications daily it may result in a significant weight loss according to a New York University study of 938 elderly persons.
The Reuters news service reported last week that “nutritional risk…increased when the number of regular medications was at least three,” according to Dr. K. Lancaster who helped conduct the investigation. Medications such as anti-depressants can cause dry mouth or slow gastric motility, an effect that may be more pronounced in the elderly compared to younger patients.
Many medications activate liver enzymes which may have additional effects on appetite. Patients who take 5 or more medications are at greatest risk for weight loss, Dr. Lancaster told Reuters.
There may not be a causal association between lack of appetite and prescription drugs side effects, Dr. Lancaster stressed. Other factors such as reduced fluid intake and decreased nutrients due to poor eating habits could also explain the oral and gastro-intestinal complaints that were recorded by the researchers, according to the Reuters report. Appetite drive is usually diminished after a few days of fasting in most people.
Sudden, dramatic loss in weight that is not regained is unhealthy because it usually means that body proteins are being broken down, resulting in reduced organ masses and possibly severe heart disease.
Tags: appetite, heart disease, regular medications, Weight Loss
Categories: Health