Almost everyone keeps medications at home that have either been prescribed by a doctor or purchased over-the-counter (OTC). This is often especially true for seniors who tend to take a variety of medications. There are benefits and risks associated with any kind of medication, so care must be taken to prevent any medication-related accidents or harmful reactions.

Know the Medication

It is a good idea to keep a list of prescription drugs or regularly used medications handy (along with their dosages) to show to a doctor when necessary. This will lower the chances of the doctor recommending a medication that could react poorly with your current medication regimen. All medicines prescribed by a doctor or purchased OTC must only be used as directed by the label or the physician.

In order to get the maximum benefit from any prescription medication, here are some questions that a patient can ask his or her physician:

• What is the brand name and/or generic name of the medicine?

• What is the medicine supposed to do?

• How should the medicine be taken? (orally, topically, etc.)

• How much of the medicine should be taken at one time?

• What happens if a dose is missed?

• What are the signs that the medicine is working?

• What are the potential side effects?

• What precautions should be taken?

• Should any food or drink be avoided?

• How should the medicine be stored?

• Are there any other special instructions to be followed?

Learn how to deal with any side effects

• Take the medication exactly as recommended (before meals, with water, on an empty stomach etc.)

• Get help from a relative, friend, or caregiver if you are too ill to take the medicine on your own

• Refrain from sharing the medication with another person

• Keep the medication out of reach of children or pets

• Discard unused or expired medications

• Ask questions if something does not seem right about the medication

• Keep emergency numbers on hand in case of an overdose or the ingestion of the medicine by a child or animal

Sometimes, the ingestion of multiple medicines can cause adverse reactions, especially when more than three medicines are being taken daily. These adverse reactions can diminish the effect of any of the medications or cause unwanted side effects. Therefore, it is vital that a patient inform the doctor about any unusual symptoms such as skin rashes, bleeding, unusual bruising, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, confusion, or breathing difficulties. In the event of a drug interaction, consult the doctor before taking any action to resolve the problem.

There are some strategies to reduce the odds of such reactions of such incidents occurring:

• Work with the doctor to limit the number of medications being taken at any one time

• Inform the doctor about every single medicine being taken, even if some medications are over-the-counter or not taken regularly

• Get all prescriptions filled at a single pharmacy or drugstore to avoid confusion or mistakes

• Ask the pharmacist to double-check the medicines being prescribed

Interactions with Foods or Beverages

It is also possible for an adverse reaction to occur when a certain food or beverage is consumed. Sometimes, the contents of the food or drink can interact with the ingredients in the prescription or OTC medication to cause unpleasant side effects. One example is the damage that eating grapefruit can have on the livers or kidneys of people who take statin medications for high cholesterol.

The best way to avoid food-drug interactions is by asking the doctor or pharmacist about any foods or beverages which must be avoided. Reading the label on the medication, heeding any warnings on the label, and adhering to the instructions are also important in order to prevent these types of interactions. Finally, alcohol can have many different negative effects on medicine; so, abstaining from alcoholic beverages while taking any medication is strongly encouraged.

Generic Name and Brand Name

When a new drug is developed, a patent is filed which allows the company that created it to brand and market the medication exclusively for a certain period of time. After that time period expires, other companies can start producing the same drug – usually at a much lower cost because no research is involved. A generic drug is one of these “copycat” medications that works exactly like the original brand name drug. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ensures that generic drugs are just as strong, pure, and stable as their brand name counterparts. But if a person has any questions about a generic drug, he or she should compare the ingredients with the brand name drug or consult with a pharmacist or doctor before taking the medication.

Choosing an OTC Medication

There are hundreds of drugs that can be bought without a prescription, but it is very important to be educated about these medications before using them.

• Read the entire label to decide if the product is appropriate, taking note of the dosage instructions and any warnings

   

• Look for a medicine that is specifically designed for the symptoms that you want to treat

   

• Watch out for any side effects or adverse reactions that are mentioned on the label

   

• Take the exact dosage as recommended on the label

   

• Be careful when taking more than one OTC drug at a time, and compare the active or main ingredients in all of them to avoid an overdose

   

• Do not combine a prescription medicine with an OTC medicine without consulting with a doctor

   

• Never use OTC medicines past their expiration dates

   

• Keep OTC medications out of the reach of children or pets

   

• Do not hesitate to ask a pharmacist or doctor about any concerns you might have about a given medication

Communication is Important

A major cause of medication errors is the lack of proper communication between the healthcare provider and the patient.

So, individuals should never hesitate to ask questions and get clarifications from a healthcare professional about the drugs they are taking. Patients should also educate themselves about their medications, be vigilant in watching for adverse side effects, and take responsibility for monitoring the effectiveness of their medications.

By doing this, people can get the most out of the medications they take.