Do you really need that pill? : how to avoid side effects, interactions, and other dangers of over medication / Jennifer Jacobs, MD, MPH ; foreword by David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Foreword -- Introduction -- Part one: Defining the problem. The dangers of taking too many pills -- Why we are taking so many pills -- Part two: Seven medical conditions and the drugs you might not need. High cholesterol and cardiovascular disease -- Osteoporosis -- Acid reflux disease -- Depression -- Chronic pain: back, neck, and osteoarthritic -- High blood pressure -- Type 2 diabetes -- Part three: Safely reducing your drug use of drugs. Talking to your doctor -- Making healthy lifestyle changes -- Alternative therapies.

"A silent epidemic in the United States is imperiling our health and threatens to bankrupt our health care system: over medication. Today, one-third of all adults take two or more prescription drugs, and half of all seniors take more than five daily. Combining stories of those who have suffered ill effects from taking too many drugs with data from cutting-edge medical findings, Do You Really Need That Pill? helps readers realize they can choose different solutions to their health problems."--