By Katrina Robinson
It seems that just about everyone is taking several prescription drugs daily. In the old days, pharmacists kept track of all of your prescriptions, ensuring that no adverse drug reactions or dangerous drug combinations took place. Now, however, you’re mostly on your own.
Did you know that various combinations of medications can actually cause death? That’s just one of the many reasons why it’s important that you become educated regarding dangerous drug combinations and how to avoid them.
Some of the more common dangerous prescription drug interactions include:
- Several fatalities have been recorded due to the combination of sildenafil (Viagra) and nitrates.
- Taking warfarin (a blood thinner) and aspirin can increase the risk of bleeding.
- Taking lisinopril (a blood pressure medication) and potassium can cause abnormal heart rhythms.
So what can you do to prevent any sort of dangerous drug interactions? Follow these tips:
- Keep track of your prescriptions with technology. There are many apps and websites that can help you to keep track of your medications and will even alert you of any possible adverse drug reactions. Some examples are: the free desktop app My Medication Tracker by Consumer Reports, iRxHelper for Apple products, and the PDF document My Medicine List from SafeMedication.
- Keep a “master list” of the medications that you take on a daily basis — written down on an index card. Include the names of the medications, the names of the prescribing doctors, and the medication dosage. Keep this card in your wallet or purse for emergencies.
- Always read the labels! Even if it’s just an over-the-counter drug, be sure that you
read the entire label and note any possible drug interactions. - If you enjoy alcohol from time to time, become educated about how it interacts with your prescriptions. Ask your pharmacist or doctor what type of reactions you can expect after consuming alcohol while taking your medications.
- Try to get all your prescriptions at the same pharmacy. This way, your pharmacist will have your drug history on file and will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding possibly dangerous combinations.
- Always keep your doctors informed as to which prescription drugs you are currently taking.
- Never take a medication prescribed to anyone else, even a family member. Just because it’s okay for your sister to take a particular drug for a particular issue doesn’t mean that it’s okay for you to use that same drug for that same ailment. That drug could be dangerous when combined with a prescription that you’re currently taking.
- Remember that vitamins are considered drugs, too! Be sure to read the entire label on your vitamins, and become acquainted with what’s in your multivitamin so that you can avoid any dangerous drug combinations.
By taking control of tracking your medications with the above tips and tricks, you can help to avoid any sort of negative drug combination in the future.
(Picture Credit: Cialis Database, All Global News on One Page)
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