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Make sure your medicine is working
An annual medicine review or “Med-Checkup” with your doctor can help to make sure you are taking only the medicines you need. It also allows your doctor to check for potentially dangerous medication interactions. Here’s what you need to do:
- Next time you schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor, let your doctor know that you want to review your medicine.
- Before the appointment, put all of the medicines you are taking in a bag. Be sure to include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and herbal/dietary supplements. All items should be in their original containers.
- Take the bag with you to the appointment and discuss the contents with your doctor. See a list of questions to ask.
Avoid medication mix-ups
Many drug names look and/or sound alike. For example, acebutolol is used to treat high blood pressure, whereas albuterol is used for wheezing and shortness of breath. These similarities can cause confusion when prescriptions are filled at the pharmacy and may pose health risks for you. To help avoid errors, follow these tips:
- Ask your prescribing provider to write down the purpose of the medication on the actual prescription. This will help your pharmacist.
- Ask your pharmacist to verify that each prescription is appropriate for your condition.
- During your doctor appointment, write down the correct name, spelling and dosage of the medication to be prescribed. When the prescription is filled, make sure the medication matches what you were expecting.
- Talk to your pharmacist about any questions you have regarding your prescription or over-the-counter medications.
Know what you’re supposed to take and why
The Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety has compiled the following list of questions you should ask about each medicine that you take:
- What is the name of the medicine?
- What is it for?
- What does it look like?
- What time should I take it?
- How much of it should I take each time?
- How should I take it?
- Should I take it with food?
- How long should I take it?
- What should I do if I miss a dose?
- Are there any side effects? What should I do if I have any?
- How should I store it?
- Is it safe to take with other medicine that I am taking including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and/or herbal supplements?
- Are there certain foods, drinks or activities I should avoid while taking it?
You can find a wealth of information, including answers to some of the questions above, for hundreds of medicines in the “Drugs A – Z” online resource.
Research a medication.
Keep a current list of your medications
Many people have trouble keeping track of their medicines. A medication list provides a simple way to manage all of the medicines that a person needs to take on a regular basis. A medication list should include information for each medication including the name, dosage, how it’s taken, when it’s taken and the reason it’s taken. Be sure to keep your list current and update it each time you start or stop taking a medication.
Always carry your current medication list with you so you will have it in case of an emergency. The Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety has developed a medication list that you can use.
Download a medicine tracking form.
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