Articles
Read a selection of our articles on medication safety
Click on the articles below to read them in full.
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Click on the articles below to read them in full.
Interested in republishing one of our articles? Check out our guidelines for more information.
Antidepressants are medications prescribed to treat depression and anxiety. Canadians of all ages use them, from children to older adults. Among Canadians aged 71 and older, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men are prescribed an antidepressant per year. Why Do People Use Antidepressants?
Have you ever forgotten where you parked your car, put your keys, or someone’s name?
Some medications can contribute to these lapses!
This article presents examples of medications that can affect the brain and some questions to ask your health professional.
What is antimicrobial resistance and why is it important?
When antibiotics no longer work to kill bacteria, this is called antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance. This means that infections caused by certain types of bacteria can become difficult or impossible to treat with the antibiotics we have now. Read more…
What is a prescribing cascade?
A prescribing cascade can happen when you and/or your health providers do not realize new symptoms are actually the side effects of one of your medications. Read more…
By Johanna Trimble and Janet Currie
Some medications you take for allergies, sleep, nausea, depression or incontinence belong to a group of medications called anticholinergic medications. Read more…
By Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, Geriatrician and Director, Canadian Deprescribing Network
Nowadays, it seems there is a choice of pills you can take for every symptom, big or small. Most people only have 10 minutes in their doctor’s office to discuss health issues. Read more…
By Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, Geriatrician and Director, Canadian Deprescribing Network
Mr. Turner considers himself to be a typical healthy 67-year-old, but late last year he started to get sharp burning sensations in his stomach and throat, especially after meals. Read more…
By Janet Currie and Johanna Trimble
Often, adult children are the first to notice the effects of prescription medications on their parents or other family members.
Common adverse effects can include problems with memory, over-sedation, confusion, dizziness, balance problems, increased falling or behaviour that is unusual. Read more …
By Jennie Herbin, Community Engagement Coordinator, Canadian Deprescribing Network
Herb John was waiting to board a plane to Ottawa for a Canadian Transportation Agency meeting when I caught him on the phone this weekend. Read more…
By Johanna Trimble and Janet Currie
Track your meds. It’s up to you or your family to keep track of the drugs you are taking. Your medication list is unlikely to be available to all health professionals online! Electronic medical records systems often don’t “talk” to one another. Read more…
By Johanna Trimble and Janet Currie
Ask for a medication review. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to review all your medications, especially if you are taking several or if different doctors prescribed them. Read more…
By Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, Geriatrician and Director, Canadian Deprescribing Network
One night while working in the emergency room, a woman in her 70s was brought in with a broken hip. When I asked her what happened, she told me that she lost her balance going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and fell on the floor. Read more…
By Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, Geriatrician and Director, Canadian Deprescribing Network
In 2003, then-53-year-old Bert Mitchell was in a car accident that nearly took his life. He came to in “excruciating” pain and his doctors put him on powerful opioid medication. More than a decade and several attempts later, he finally weaned off opioids. Now he uses alternative therapies to manage the pain—and has his life back. Read more…
By Johanna Trimble
Our Mom was happy in her independent living apartment and involved in her community. But in 2003, at the age of 86, she was admitted to the Health Centre. The day before she’d asked her daughter to take her to the ER: “I was weak and dizzy and I knew I couldn’t stand without passing out”. Read more…
Johanna Trimble is a founding member of CADeN and a past co-chair and current member of our Public Awareness Committee. Here, she writes about her experience engaging as a public partner with our network to raise awareness of medication overload and how to prevent harm.
Read more…