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Medication Errors and Prescription Medications

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The pattern of drug errors is increasing, and there are actions you can take to prevent dangerous problems from arising due to prescription drugs in your house. First, flush down the toilet any outdated medications, especially those that are discontinued. Discard all eye and nose medications after your course of treatment, and do not reuse them. Read the label on the bottle and check the expiration dates; even if the medication appears okay, most medications lose their potency after this date. A lot of people get prescriptions from their doctor and don’t ask for any instructions except how often they should take the pills. Ask your doctor these questions: Am I taking anything that will not work well in conjunction with this medication? How long do I have to take this medication? How often must I take it? What side effects should I watch for? When does this medication begin working? How will I know it’s working? Inquire about what can be done to see if the medication is working, like taking blood pressure or blood sugar levels. Be very careful that you don’t crush any tablets that have a sustained release action, as this could deliver the whole dose at once and cause a drug overdose. It is important to know what to do if you miss a dose, and never take more than one dose at a time. Some of the above questions can be answered by using your pharmacy. Many times people will stop taking their medicines when they start to feel better; men will stop taking blood pressure medications when they begin to feel better or will stop hypertension medications because they can cause erectile dysfunction. Although substitution medication might be available, it is necessary to consult your physician before stopping any medication – good communication is the key! When you stop taking your antibiotics before you have completely completed the course, you are helping “bugs” become “super-bugs”. They build up an immunity to antibiotics because of this incomplete exposure and become very difficult to treat. New antibiotics are always being developed to treat these infections, and you may require a longer treatment regimen. Physicians try to use antibiotics only in case the infection is bacterial and not viral, however, many the people insist the physician order some type of medication. A viral infection, like the common cold, are generally resolved within a short time frame. Our society depends on taking pills to feel better instead of trying some alternative treatments which have been proven to work. You can find many alternative treatments online. I do recommend that you speak with your doctor and draw up a treatment plan. It is extremely crucial to make your doctor and pharmacist aware of all drugs you are taking which includes anything that you get over the counter. Medications made out of many herbal ingredients have the capacity to react negatively with prescription medications, and often red flags appear on computers to make the physician and pharmacist identify the possible error. Sometimes a person may be taking more than one product that thins the blood. For example, say you are already using Tylenol or a prescription narcotic, then you begin taking a prescription blood thinner. The result could be permanent liver damage. One way to eliminate medication mistakes at home is to purchase a pill organizer. If you have problems with your vision, have a friend or relative help you, and get pill containers that are easy to read. Never put different pills in the same bottle, because this might lead to mistakes. Set yourself up a schedule for taking your medications. Keep in mind that you will need to take some medications with food and others without food. There are also some foods you will need to avoid while taking some medications. For example, if you are taking heart medications, steer clear of grapefruit juice. Also remember that some medications have negative interactions. Avoid taking these together. Be sure to read the valuable information contained on prescription medication labels. Phone your pharmacist with your questions; they are eager to help you. Generic medications are the equivalent of brand name prescription medications. They are the proper substitutes for their brand name counterparts and should not be considered inferior. Insurance companies do prefer that their clients use cheaper generic medication, and hence the resulting payments are found to be less in the case of a claim. Some of the names are tough to say, but if you know the name of what you want to substitute, it is okay to use that name. It is not wise to memorize medications in terms of its color or other characteristics since in the case of substituted medicines, the medication may have a different appearance and lead to patient confusion. If you will take a little time to learn and ask questions, you can prevent making mistakes with medications in the home. The transaction is not over just because you get a prescription. Communication of any concerns, and a detailed understanding of what each prescription does, may prevent a number of medication interaction errors from occurring.