Take 3 or More Prescription Medications and Over-the-counter
Medications
|
| FAST
FACTS |
- It is common
for older adults to take many different medications at one
time.
- Often one prescription
medication will adversely interact with another medication
causing serious complications
- Taking some
over-the-counter medications (purchased without
a doctor's prescription) with prescription medications may
cause serious, dangerous side effects
- Medications
that are strong enough to cure a person also have the potential
to cause adverse reactions
|
| WHAT
TO DO |
- Make sure your
primary doctor knows about all of the medications that you
are taking including: any prescription and over-the-counter
medications; vitamins and minerals; herbal and dietary supplements;
laxatives; pain medicines such as aspirin; cold medicines;
and antacids.
- Keep a daily
log of all the medications that you take. Include the name
of all medications, doctor who prescribed them, amount and
time of day taken, and the purpose for taking the medication.
Keep a copy wherever you store your medication, and one in your
wallet or purse.
- Purchase all
prescription medicines from one pharmacy or drug store.
Ask the pharmacist to explain the use and any other instructions
for each of your medications.
- Check the expiration
date on all medication at least once a year and discard
if it has expired. Expired medication may be dangerous to
take. When discarding the medication, flush it down a toilet
so that a child does not find the discarded medication in
a trash can.
|
| WHERE
TO GO |
- Contact your
physician or pharmacist with any questions or concerns
WEB LINKS
|
| |
