Learn all you can about all medications you are taking.

Ask your physician, nurse, and pharmacist about the names of medications prescribed for you, their purposes and actions, intended effects and side effects, timing and dosage, and precautions needed (i.e., taking medications on full vs. empty stomach, interaction with other medications, driving, alcohol intake, actions to take if you forget to take a dose, and what side effects should be reported promptly.)

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Inform your health care providers of all medications you are taking including over-the-counter medications and alternative therapies.

Keeping information about other drugs or therapies you are using from your health care providers to avoid offending them, may lead to untoward drug/therapy interactions

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 If you stop a medication for any reason, tell your health care provider.

Failure to inform your physician or other health care provider that you have stopped taking a medication or decided not to take it may lead to inappropriate changes in medications or their dosages.
 

Take medications as prescribed for the prescribed duration. If you experience side effects, notify your physician; don’t stop taking the medication without notifying your health care provider.

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Ask the pharmacist for written information about each medication.

Keep the information in a safe, accessible place. Periodically review the information and consult it if you have questions or forget details about the medications.

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 Follow specific instructions about medications and their preparation or administration.

If a medication is to be taken with food, then take it with meals; if it is to be kept frozen up to administration time, then keep it frozen. If following specific instructions is a problem for you, notify your health care provider. Take medications as prescribed for the prescribed duration. If you experience side effects, notify your health care provider; don't stop taking the medication without notifying your health care provider.

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Take only medications prescribed for you.

Taking medications prescribed for someone else increases the risk for drug interactions and side effects. Never share your medications with others.

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 Write down questions you have about your medications and any effects of medications you experience.

This serves as a reminder of questions you have and enables you to discuss them with your health care providers at your next appointment with them.

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Develop and use a system to help you to remember to take medications as prescribed.

Ask for help from the pharmacist, nurse or physician to identify a system that works for you.

For example:

• Develop a chart listing times of the day and medications to be taken at each time.

• Put medications for different times of the day in separate plastic containers labeled with the times they should be taken.

• Put the plastic containers on the kitchen table if medications are taken with meals.

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Plan ahead to avoid running out of needed medications

• Get refills or prescriptions for refills in plenty of time so that you do not run out of medication.

• Abruptly stopping some medications because you run out of medications can cause side effects.

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Pay attention to the medication's expiration date; discard those that are out of date.

Using expired medications may lead to further problems if the reasons for their initial use changed. Some medications decrease in potency past their expiration date.

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Use a single pharmacy to obtain medications.

Using one pharmacy enables the pharmacist to keep track of the various medications you take and be alert for dangerous interactions. Select a pharmacy carefully based on your own particular needs (i.e., delivery service, insurance arrangements, special medications). Get to know your pharmacist, and let them get to know you.

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Medication Safety

• Medications that are not clearly and accurately labeled can be easily mixed up. Taking the wrong medicine or missing a dose of medicine you need can be dangerous.

• Be sure that all containers are clearly marked with the contents, doctor's instructions, expiration date, and your name.

• Dispose of outdated medicines by flushing pills down the toilet. Pour liquids down the drain and rinse the container. Never put medicine in the trash because young children can take it out.

• Request non-child-resistant closures from your pharmacist only if you cannot use child-resistant closures. If your medications do not have child-resistant caps, keep medications safety out of children's reach.

NOTE: Many poisonings occur when children visiting grandparents go through the medicine cabinet or grandmother's purse. In homes where grandchildren or other youngsters are frequent visitors, medicines should be purchased in containers with child-resistant caps, and the caps properly closed after each use. Store medicines in locked areas away from children.

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08/01/03 01:34 PM