May 26, 2012
Topics A-Z Drugs Hip Fracture Medication in Elderly
Hip Fracture Medication in Elderly |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: Please help. My mother who has mid stages of dementia is 91 and had surgery for a hip fracture she has been on vicodin every 6 hrs for a month and is completely confused and incoherent most of the time , she has lost 11 lbs and is down to 82 lbs now,because she wont eat.She is still non weight bearing in physical therepy. She has been on Pureed food since the surgery. We told the Dr she won't eat because she's too druged up and he refuses to take her off the vicodin.Is there a drug used after hip fracture surgery that would have less side effects? She has had very high liver levels about 2 months ago and the vicodin includes large doses of acetaminophen which is what a different Dr at the hospital told us to she should stay away from. Does the Dr have to follow our wishes as we have power of attorney over her health care, or should we just seek out a new Dr. Before surgery she was walking and eating solid food on her own without assistance. Dear Laura: Your mother would be best served by discontinuing the Vicodin. She should not be in significant pain since she had surgery over a month ago and as such acetominophen would be sufficeint to relieve any pain she may still be experiencing. Acetominophen rarely causes any side effects, however, one possible side effect is liver toxicity. Given your mother's specific circumstances the benefits of using acetominophen outweigh the potential risks. Acetominophen will have no effect on her mental capacity while providing pain relief. She should certainly ovoid Vicodin or similar drugs. If your mother is unable to make decisions related to her health, that responsibility usually falls on the closest relative(s). Her caregivers are obliged to abide by your wishes for her health care. |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 13 December 2010 ) |
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