Health Notes are quick references to a variety of health issues. They are changed regularly and archived below. There is no specific order although we try to present articles which are seasonal in nature.
As with many of our health related articles please consult with your physician before taking medication or changing treatments.
Medicine cabinets across the country are more crowded than ever. According to the U.S. Department of Health, nearly half of all Americans take at least one prescription medicine and one in six take three or more medications.
If you take several different medications (including prescription and non-prescription drugs, herbals and vitamins), the Institute for Medication Safety recommends scheduling a “medicine checkup” with your doctor or pharmacist.
What is a medicine checkup?
A medicine checkup is a review of all the medicines and supplements you are taking in an effort to identify potential problems. It involves packing up all of your prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and supplements and showing them to your doctor or pharmacist.
Your doctor or pharmacist will review all of the medicines you are taking to see if they are the same as the ones listed on your medical record or pharmacy profile, double check your medications for correct dosage strength and frequency, and also check to see if any of your medicines have expired.
It is important to include the non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbals you take regularly. This will allow your doctor or pharmacist to screen the medications and products to make sure that there are no duplications in therapy (i.e., you are not taking the same medicine in more than one form), and identify possible drug interactions or side effects.
This is a good opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your medicines. Questions such as how to take the medicine and if there are special precautions you should know about. Be sure to write down the information you receive.
It is a good idea to have one doctor in charge or aware of all of the medications you take. If this is not possible, you should list all of the prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbals you take. The list should include: the name of the medicine, the doctor who prescribed it, how much you take and how often you take it, instructions on how to take it and what it is taken for. Provide this information to every doctor (or other healthcare provider) you visit.
You should also fill all of your prescriptions at the same pharmacy. Be sure to provide your pharmacist with a list of all the medicines you are taking so that he or she can effectively oversee your medications.
Communication is the key to avoiding risk and getting the best results from your medicines. Call your doctor or pharmacist today to schedule your medicine checkup.
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