Seniors: Risks and tips

Prevention Tips

Be prepared.
- Save your poison center's number: 1-800-222-1222 (US only).
- Save the webPOISONCONTROL online tool as a browser favorite.
Install a carbon monoxide alarm in every sleeping area of your home. Keep appliances, furnaces, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves in good repair.
Store medicines and products in their original containers.
Use child-resistant packaging, especially if young children are ever around. Replace caps securely. Why?
- Of children treated in an ER for medicine poisoning, 38% got into a grandparent's medicine.
- More grandparents identified electrical outlets than medicine as a top safety issue, but 36 times more children go to the ER for medicine poisoning. Ouch!
Store household products in a different place from food and medicine.
Use medicines safely.
- Turn on the lights, put on glasses, and read the label before taking or giving medicine. Follow instructions exactly.
- Don't take someone else's medicine.
Use household products as directed on the label. Mixing products can release dangerous gases.
Have grandchildren? Check out the poison prevention tips for the ages of your grandchildren.

Seniors Adults Teens Anticonvulsants Prescription medicines Medication safety Medicine
Zonisamide for seizures: Uses and side effects
Zonisamide is an anticonvulsant used for partial onset seizures. Common side effects of zonisamide include drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, headache, poor coordination, and difficulty with memory or finding words. Gastrointestinal symptoms and mood changes can occur. Serious skin and allergic reactions as well as abnormal laboratory findings are possible. Avoid alcohol and other central nervous system depressants when taking zonisamide.
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Teens Adults Seniors Prescription medicines Medication safety Medicine Anticonvulsants
Clonazepam: Helpful or harmful?
Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine prescribed for seizures and panic disorder. It enhances the effect of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, poor coordination, and mood changes. Overdoses can cause coma and respiratory depression. Abuse and long-term use can lead to physical dependence and addiction.
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Teens Seniors Adults Herbals and supplements Medication safety
Phenibut: A recreational drug with abuse potential
Phenibut is used for anxiety and cognitive enhancement. It is not FDA-approved but is sold online. Common side effects include confusion, lethargy, drowsiness, dizziness, irritability, agitation, nausea, vomiting, and balance problems. Tolerance and physical dependence can develop within a relatively short time of use. Abruptly stopping can cause life-threatening withdrawal.
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Adults Seniors Teens Medication safety Medicine Herbals and supplements
What are myostatin inhibitors?
Myostatin inhibitors block the activity of myostatin in the body resulting in increased muscle mass. Clinical trials are investigating if they will benefit patients with muscle wasting illnesses. It is unclear if they work. They are not yet FDA-approved. Potential side effects include weakened tendons, reduced bone density, muscle spasm, bleeding disorders, and both vascular and cardiac damage.
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Adults Seniors Teens Substance abuse Medication safety
Don’t believe social media: DNP is not safe
DNP is heavily promoted on social media for weight loss and body building. It is not legal or safe, with little difference between suggested and lethal dose. Side effects include headache, weakness, vomiting, lethargy, increased heart and respiratory rate, convulsions, coma, and dangerously high temperature. Death is due to cardiovascular collapse or very high body temperature.
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Elementary Preteens Seniors Teens Adults Anticonvulsants Prescription medicines Medication safety Medicine
Carbamazepine has been on the market for over 50 years. Here’s what you need to know.
Carbamazepine is used for seizures, trigeminal neuralgia, and bipolar disorder. Side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, headache, fatigue, ataxia, blurry vision, nausea, vomiting, and dry mouth. More serious side effects include severe rashes, blood problems, liver, and kidney toxicity. Carbamazepine interacts with many other medications, as well as with grapefruit and grapefruit juice.
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Adults Teens Seniors Elementary Preteens Anticonvulsants Prescription medicines Medicine Medication safety
Oxcarbazepine: Side effects and toxicity
Oxcarbazepine is used for partial onset seizures. Common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, headache, incoordination, and difficulty with memory. Gastrointestinal symptoms, double vision, dystonia, and low sodium levels can occur. Serious skin and allergic reactions are possible. Drug interactions occur when taken with central nervous system depressants, hormonal contraceptives, and diuretics.
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Elementary Seniors Adults Teens Anticonvulsants Prescription medicines Medication safety Medicine
Pregabalin: A drug for many ailments, but is it safe?
Pregabalin is used for nerve pain, fibromyalgia, anxiety, and partial-onset seizures. Common side effects are drowsiness, dizziness, poor concentration, confusion, memory problems, unsteadiness, tremors, dry mouth, constipation, nausea, and vomiting. It is a schedule V in the US due to risk of abuse and physical dependence. Avoid central nervous system depressants, such as alcohol, that increase sedation risk.
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Elementary Seniors Adults Teens Preteens Anticonvulsants Prescription medicines Medication safety Medicine
Controlling seizures and preventing migraines with topiramate
Topiramate is prescribed for treatment of seizures and prevention of migraines. Side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, mood changes, other CNS effects, and decreased appetite. More serious effects include kidney stones, acidosis, vision changes, and suicidal thoughts. Topiramate has many drug interactions. It should not be taken when pregnant and can cause birth defects.
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Elementary Preteens Seniors Adults Teens Toddlers Topicals Cosmetics and personal care products Indoor hazards Homeopathic products Plastic containers and BPA Toys, crafts, and jewelry Food and drink
How harmful are endocrine-disrupting chemicals?
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with endocrine systems by antagonizing or mimicking hormones in the body. There are over 1,000 EDCs. EDCs are found in food, drinking water, air, the environment, cosmetics, and personal care products. Most are manmade, but some are naturally occurring. Research has found links between EDCs and harmful health effects.
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