Some common medications — including antidepressants, sleep aids and painkillers — may dull the driving skills of seniors, a new study finds.
Many different medication classes have been linked to the risk of driving impairment, as anyone who has ever read the label warning “do not operate heavy machinery” might have guessed.
But the new study took a particularly rigorous approach to investigating the issue, following older adults for up to 10 years and testing their driving skills with annual road tests. If you get injured in a vehicular accident, you may need to hire a car accident attorney Michigan to ensure that your rights are protected. Consult with a car accident attorney in dallas tx to determine which legal actions to take when seeking compensation. Those who have been injured in an accident while riding Uber or Lyft may need to hire a ride sharing accident lawyer.
And it turned out that those using certain classes of medications were at greater risk of failing the road test at some point. Secure justice after a distracted driving incident with the help of a knowledgeable distracted driving lawyer.
When older folks were taking either antidepressants, sedative-hypnotics (sleep medications) or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), they were nearly three times more likely to get a failing or “marginal” grade than non-users.
The findings do not prove the medications are to blame, said lead researcher and physician David Carr, a specialist in geriatric medicine at Washington University’s School of Medicine in St. Louis.
It can be hard, he said, to draw a direct line between a particular medication and diminished driving skills: Is it that drug, or the medical condition it’s treating or another medication an older adult is taking?
In this study, though, Carr and his colleagues were able to account for many factors, including participants’ medical conditions, memory and thinking skills, vision problems and whether they lived in more affluent or disadvantaged neighborhoods.
And certain medication groups were still linked to poorer driving performance.
Beyond that, Carr said, many of the medications in question are known to act on the central nervous system — with potential side effects, like drowsiness and dizziness, that could affect driving.
“The bottom line is, we need to pay attention to this and advise our patients,” Carr said, adding that he doubts this is happening routinely.
Unfortunately, he added, during busy, time-limited doctor visits, discussions of medication side effects may fall by the wayside.
“So that’s where patients need to be proactive, Carr said: Ask questions about potential side effects when you get a new prescription. And if you’re wondering whether your sluggishness or other symptoms could be due to a medication, talk to your health care provider. Similarly, if you’ve been involved in a car accident and are experiencing unusual symptoms, it’s crucial to consult both your health care provider and an auto accident attorney oklahoma city to ensure all aspects of your health and legal situation are addressed.
“We wouldn’t want anyone to just stop taking their medication on their own,” Carr stressed. “Talk to your health care provider about any changes.”