Whether prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), no medicine is without risk. Besides benefits, medicines may cause side effects or allergic reactions, and they may be affected by interactions with foods, drinks, or other drugs.
For prescription drugs, a patient's first step to safe and effective treatment is to ask the doctor questions with each new prescription. For example:
- What is the medicine's name, and what is it supposed to do?
- How and when do I take it, and for how long?
- While taking this medicine, should I avoid:
- certain foods or dietary supplements?
- caffeine, alcohol, or other beverages?
- other medicines, prescription and OTC?
- certain activities, such as driving or smoking?
- Will this new medicine work safely with prescription and OTC medicines I'm already taking?
- Are there side effects, and what do I do if they occur?
- Will the medicine affect my sleep or activity level?
- What should I do if I miss a dose?
- Is there written information available about the medicine? (At the very least, ask the doctor or pharmacist to write out complicated directions and medicine names.)
Some patients need to overcome being nervous about asking these questions, says Ellen Tabak, Ph.D., of the Food and Drug Administration's division of drug marketing, advertising and communications. In Tabak's research before coming to FDA, patients who asked questions were more satisfied with their medical visits.
Pharmacist Michael Cohen, president of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Warminster, Pa., adds, "If you can't ask questions comfortably, get someone to do it for you. There are patient advocates in the hospital, and relatives or friends on the outside."
And, "to prevent mix-ups, patients ought to insist that the medicine's purpose be put on the label," Cohen adds.
Here are more tips for helping your medicines work as safely and effectively as possible.
General Advice
- Keep a record of all your current medicines, including their names and regimens (dose, time, and other instructions for taking). Write down any problems you have with the medicine so you can discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist.
- Using adequate light, read labels carefully before taking doses.
- Ask the doctor's or pharmacist's advice before crushing or splitting tablets; some should only be swallowed whole.
- Contact the doctor or pharmacist if new or unexpected symptoms or other problems appear.
- Never stop taking medicine the doctor has told you to finish just because symptoms disappear.
- Ask the doctor periodically to reevaluate long-term treatments.
- If you have questions, talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using an OTC medicine the first time, especially if you use other medicine.
- Carefully read OTC medicine labels for ingredients, proper uses, directions, warnings, precautions, and expiration dates. Many medicines contain the same ingredients. Be sure you're not taking the same drug in more than one form.
- Discard outdated medicine.
- Store medicine in the original container, where the label identifies it and gives directions.
- Never store medicine in the bathroom. Unless instructed otherwise, keep it away from heat, light and moisture.
- Never store medicine near a dangerous substance, which could be taken by mistake.
- Never take someone else's medicine.
- Tell your health professional if you:
- are breast-feeding or are, or may be, pregnant
- are allergic to drugs or foods
- have diabetes or kidney or liver disease
- take other prescription or OTC medicines regularly
- follow a special diet or take dietary supplements
- use alcohol or tobacco.
Protect Against Tampering
- Read the label about the product's tamper-evident features.
- Look at the package for tampering signs such as broken seals, puncture holes, or open or damaged wrappings.
- Look at the medicine. Never take medicine that is discolored, has an unusual odor, or seems suspicious in some other way. Check with the pharmacist if you have any questions.
- Return suspicious medicine to the store manager or pharmacist.
- Look again when you take a dose. Never take medicine if you're not alert or can't see clearly.
