Safety First
By Stephanie Thurrott
When you take multiple medications, you can risk complications. Here's how to keep drug dangers to a minimum.
Mistakes happen. According to the Institute of Medicine, 1.5 million people are harmed by medication errors every year. With nearly one-third of adults taking five or more medications, there are many opportunities for things to go awry.
Fortunately many of these errors can be prevented. Having experts to go to for support and learning about the medications you are taking helps to ensure medication safety. Here are other ways to help prevent errors.
MAKE A LIST.
Write down all of the prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and nutritional supplements you use. Take this list with you when you see your physician and have him or her review it. Your pharmacist can print out a list for you — just make sure that if you fill prescriptions at more than one pharmacy you get a list from each. Keep this list in your purse or wallet. "If you have to go to the doctor, hospital or emergency center you’ll need your list of medications," says Marta Eule, RN, BSN, CDE, clinical education manager at Liberty Medical.
CHECK IT TWICE.
Double-check that the prescription (brand name or generic) you get from the pharmacy is the same as the one your doctor prescribed. Also, check that the instructions on the container match what your physician wrote. "Your doctor should always explain what medication you’re taking, its generic name, how many milligrams you are supposed to take and how many times a day you are supposed to take it," says Eule. "At the pharmacy verify that it’s the correct medication and the correct dosage."
TALK TO YOUR DOCTORS.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist (or both) about how and when to take each medication and what the potential side effects are. You may also want to ask what to do if you experience a side effect. If you see several different specialists make sure you share information about what other doctors have prescribed for your conditions. "Doctors need to know what patients are on before they write a prescription. Certain medications can’t be taken with others," says Eule.
SHARE YOUR STORY.
For added safety, let your pharmacy rep know about over-the-counter medications, vitamins and minerals, and herbal supplements you are taking.
GET IT IN WRITING.
Before taking a newly prescribed medication, ask for written information about it. The sheets pharmacies provide warn of possible side effects and interactions. Read the labels on over-the-counter medications so you are familiar with warnings and the names of active ingredients.
ASK QUESTIONS.
Talk to your pharmacist if you have any questions about a medication. You have a right to speak with a pharmacist if you’re not clear about how to use a medication that’s been prescribed for you. "Time and again people will reach into their purse or medicine bag, pull out a prescribed drug, and all it says is take one daily," says Karen Stidd, MA, RD, CDE, Liberty Medical’s director of clinical education. "They ask, ‘When is the best time to take it? Should I take it with or without food? When do I test my blood sugar after taking this medication?’" If you discover that you have questions about your prescription after you get home, call your doctor or pharmacy and ask for more information. Taking the medication at the right time can help it work the way it should.
KEEP IT STRAIGHT.
The best place to store your medications is in the containers they came in. That way, any questions you have about dosage or frequency are answered right there on the label. "Storing medications in their original containers gives you the date it was filled and the expiration date. And don’t mix new medications with old," advises Stidd. "They can lose potency over time." HM