One in 25 older Americans (about 2.2 million) take drugs in potentially harmful combinations. Don’t be one of them!
Know the Ingredients
The National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) recommends knowing the active ingredients in the medicines you take. For instance, over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers commonly contain one or more of four different pain relief ingredients—aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen and acetaminophen. A number of prescription and OTC multi-symptom cold and flu medicines contain these same active ingredients.
You should avoid combining medicines with the same active ingredients, as this could lead to an overdose of the ingredient.
Take Steps to Prevent Interactions
On its website, BeMedWise.com, the NCPIE provides advice on preventing drug interactions, such as:
- Give each of your doctors a complete list of all the prescription and OTC drugs, herbal products and supplements you are taking.
- Read and follow label directions exactly, taking no more than the recommended amount.
- Ask a doctor or pharmacist any questions you may have about a medication before taking it, such as whether the medication interacts with food.
- Choose an OTC medication that will treat only the symptoms you have.
- Be cautious when taking more than one OTC drug concurrently as they may contain the same active ingredients, giving you more than the recommended dose.
- Do not combine nonprescription drugs, herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements with prescription medications without consulting your doctor.
- Do not use medicines after their expiration date.
- Use the same pharmacy for all prescriptions to avoid being given medications that have adverse interactions.
Resources
Drug Interactions Checker at Drugs.com
RxList: The Internet Drug Index
Let Us Hear From You!
Have you experienced complications from prescription or OTC drug interaction? Do you research your medications online? If you are an in-home caregiver, how do you ensure your clients avoid harmful drug interactions?
photo credit: Instant Vantage
Part 1: Things to Know About Prescription Drug Interaction
