eJournal of Medicine

Spring is a good time to take stock in itself, but also a good time to take stock of your medicine cabinet. Very often we hear about drug interactions and side effects. In fact, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 11.3 percent of hospitalizations due to adverse reactions. This means that thousands of people taking drugs to make them better, actually make it even more sick. With the misuse of prescription medicines on the rise and a shelf full of pills last year, now may be a good time to ’spring cleaning’ medicine cabinet, say experts CareMore.

According to Dr. Doug Allen, CareMore, the main reason many of the drug misadventures is that patients do not inform your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines you take, including nonprescription drugs like aspirin. “This is especially true among older people because they are more likely to be on drugs again,” said Dr. Allen.

The problems presented by prescription drugs are compounded by the large number of patients given the drug sales. Dr. Allen recommends the following tips can help your doctor and reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions:

• Be sure to consult your doctor and pharmacist about all medicines you are taking, including prescription medicines. Also, let them know if you are suffering from some kind of medication.

• Keep a diary of all the medicines you take. Specify the type and brand of the drug. This will help to properly inform your doctor or pharmacist seeking treatment.

• Read the warning / caution statement which may indicate whether the drug is affected. If you are unsure, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

• Become familiar with the names of medications that can negatively affect your health so you can check whether a drug is an ingredient that can cause harm. It would be useful to know the brand and the name of the drug harmful chemicals.

• Make a list of all medications you take and a list of those that cause adverse reactions in your purse or wallet. This could be useful when you receive emergency treatment or loss of consciousness.

• Remove outdated prescriptions and OTC medicines.

• Follow proper dosage. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

• Find out what foods, beverages, drugs or other activities to avoid while taking this medicine.

• Do not throw the empty counter medications. If you need to buy more, take the container with you to the store to ensure

you are buying what they have served well in the past.

• Do not share your medicine with others or borrow and drug use by friends or relatives.

“Remember that an informed patient who communicates effectively with your doctor and pharmacist can significantly reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions. It is important that patients are aware of the risks of drugs and performance,” says The Dr. Allen.

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