Sangye
05-29-2010, 01:05 AM
This article in the news today talks about the huge number of prescription drug errors that occur because of similar sounding drug names.
Look-alike, sound-alike drugs trigger dangers - More health news- msnbc.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37386398/ns/health-more_health_news/)
I wish they would've done a better job of telling how patients can avoid mistakes. Well, I guess that's my job (ahem). :D
When your doc is prescribing a new drug, ask him/her to
1) Spell it for you
2) Tell you how many milligrams to take each day (not just how many pills)
3) What the drug is for
4) What common side effects to look for
Write it all down even if you understand it at the time. If your doctor is impatient while you write, remind him/her that people die because of medication mistakes and you don't intend to be one of them.
When you pick up a new drug
1) Bring your notes from the doctor visit
2) ALWAYS ask to speak to the pharmacist to verify you're getting the right drug/dose
Before you leave the pharmacy
1) Compare your notes with the bottle label to make sure they match--name and dosage
2) Prescriptions have a description of the pill on them (eg. white, circular tablet). Open the bottle and make sure your drug matches the description. This isn't failproof, since many drugs have the same description, but it helps.
I know this sounds like overkill, but it'll keep you alive. You can't be too careful when it comes to prescription drugs.
Look-alike, sound-alike drugs trigger dangers - More health news- msnbc.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37386398/ns/health-more_health_news/)
I wish they would've done a better job of telling how patients can avoid mistakes. Well, I guess that's my job (ahem). :D
When your doc is prescribing a new drug, ask him/her to
1) Spell it for you
2) Tell you how many milligrams to take each day (not just how many pills)
3) What the drug is for
4) What common side effects to look for
Write it all down even if you understand it at the time. If your doctor is impatient while you write, remind him/her that people die because of medication mistakes and you don't intend to be one of them.
When you pick up a new drug
1) Bring your notes from the doctor visit
2) ALWAYS ask to speak to the pharmacist to verify you're getting the right drug/dose
Before you leave the pharmacy
1) Compare your notes with the bottle label to make sure they match--name and dosage
2) Prescriptions have a description of the pill on them (eg. white, circular tablet). Open the bottle and make sure your drug matches the description. This isn't failproof, since many drugs have the same description, but it helps.
I know this sounds like overkill, but it'll keep you alive. You can't be too careful when it comes to prescription drugs.