Whitney Houston’s Medications: What About Patient Safety?

The fact that Whitney Houston’s death most likely arose from prescription drug overdose should galvanize public and health professionals to address the unmet needs of individuals with mental conditions. When nurses talk to patients about taking more than their prescribed dose, patients indicate the prescribed amount fails to control their symptoms at times. How many patients must die before we listen to their cries for effective care and treatment and supply safe care?

The Prescription Drug Abuse Problem

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the deaths from prescription drug overdose increased ten-fold since 1990 to 27,000 deaths. The 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported an estimated 2.4 million Americans ingested prescription drugs in ways other than prescribed.

Stigmatism with Mental Health Issues

The media, public and some health professionals stigmatize and use negative labels to portray drug problems. Telegraph described Whitney as one “who ruled as pop music’s queen until her majestic voice was ravaged by drug use and … image was ruined by erratic behavior.”

Radar Online stated, “Houston had a plethora of sedatives including Lorazepam, valium, xanax… in her hotel room.” Yet, drug use and erratic behavior arises most often from underlying changes in the brain and not some flaws in character. Patients fail to obtain adequate services for fear of receiving the label “mental.”

Central Nervous System Depressants

The type of drugs found in Whitney Houston’s room represent central nervous system (CNS) depressants that slow activity in the brain and calm patients. The National Institute on Drug Abuse depicts lorazepam, valium, and xanax as a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. It is usually contrary to safe practice to prescribe three drugs from the same category. Obtaining CNS depressant drugs from physicians who fail to screen for all drugs and alcohol use creates problems. Whitney’s erratic behavior prior to her death aligns with adverse effects seen in persons taking large doses of benzodiazepines. Her death resonates with issues of bad combinations similar to Heath Ledger’s death.

Safety in Prescription Drug Use

Health professionals prescribe the medications and perform a pivotal role in screening patients for all drugs used including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, supplements and alcohol. According to The Joint Commission, standard practice advocates any current medications be reviewed when obtaining new or refills of medications. Patients and their significant others play a role in safety by making sure a review of all the medications occurs at each office or phone encounter.

Treat Mental Problems as Physical Illness

Mental health problems arise from structural (hippocampus and amygdala areas) and chemical processes (adrenalin release) in the brain. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, talk therapy modifies thinking and behavior in anxiety or panic. Both anti-anxiety (benzodiazepines) and antidepressant (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like prozac) medications treat symptoms. However, one needs to question if Ms. Houston received the best evidence care for her condition.

Stigmatization and Proper Care with Mental Illness

Not only does our society continue to stigmatize individuals with drug abuse and mental problems even though these problems arise from physical causes in the brain, physicians may fail to properly screen, prescribe or treat patients with referrals to mental health specialist. It is time for society to enter the 21st century and appropriately address mental health issues and safe patient care.


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