Staying Healthy
Is your medication making you lightheaded?
Many drugs can cause this symptom. Consider strategies to manage the risks.
You’re taking a new prescription, and you’re feeling a little lightheaded. Are the two connected? It’s an important question, since many drugs are known to cause lightheadedness. And lightheadedness comes with a dangerous risk: falling.
"Just being older increases your risk for falls. If you add three or four medications — or even just one with a known side effect of lightheadedness — it increases risk even more," notes Joanne Doyle Petrongolo, a pharmacist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
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About the Author
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
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