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Medication
Managment
Over-medication or medication
interaction occurs when more than one drug is taken and one interferes
with the other. This may take the form of impairing absorption of a
drug or of either enhancing or impairing the normal breakdown of a drug
by enzymes in the body. As a result, one drug may cause another to be
ineffective. Conversely, the action of one drug may lead to high and
even toxic levels of another. The results can be serious and even life-threatening.
Drug interactions may also
result by taking an over-the-counter (OTC) medication in conjunction
with a prescription drug. A good example is the risk of bleeding in
persons taking anticoagulants such as warfarin if aspirin is taken.
There are many others, as well.
To prevent over-medication
and/or medication interaction, the Mayo Clinic suggests:
- Be sure you know what
medications you are taking and the reason for each.
- Inform your physician
and pharmacist of all medications you take, whether by prescription
or OTC.
- Be sure that any specialists
are informed about other treatments outside their specialty: i.e.
diabetic and cardiac specialists need to be aware of what the other
is prescribing.
- Do not add an OTC drug
without checking for potential interactions with other medications
you are using.
- If possible, have all
of your prescriptions filled by one pharmacy so that there will be
a record of your current medications to allow a search for possible
inteaction when a new drug is added.
- Be sure you understand
all of the instructions for taking each medication and follow them.
Always read the printed material that you should receive when a prescription
is filled or refilled.
- Do not assume the new
instructions will be unchanged in the case of refulls; as new interactions
and problems are recognized, the printed information may change.
And if you are uncertain
about any aspect of a medication you are taking, consult with your physician
or pharmacist. You owe it to yourself.
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