If you are an older adult or know someone who is, then you know that there are some special precautions to take when taking medications. A new study found that one in five older adults who take at least two prescription medications are potentially putting themselves at risk for an adverse drug reaction, according to the National Institutes of Health. The study’s authors recommend that patients discuss all their medications with a doctor or pharmacist before stopping or starting any drugs.
Why The Special Concern?
The older you get, the more likely it is that you will be taking prescription drugs, which can raise your risk of negative drug effects. Older adults take an average of nine different medications each day, which makes the risk even higher. In addition, certain diseases also cause changes that can increase a person’s drug toxicity. Older adults tend to have more sensitive reactions to drugs and their bodies may take longer than younger people to process them. Changes in one’s physical appearance may also impact the way medications are handled by the body, resulting in adverse effects. For example, research shows 60 percent of older patients with chronic heart failure never talked with their doctors about the use of potentially dangerous diuretics (water pills) which can cause excessive loss of potassium.
Take Medicine as Prescribed
Always follow the directions on your prescription label. Prescription medications should not be taken unless specifically authorized by your personal health care provider. Also, make sure not to take more than the prescribed amount, as this can also lead to adverse drug reactions, and don’t miss any doses. You may need to take your medication at different times throughout the day in order for it to be effective, which can add another level of complexity when taking medications regularly. If you don’t take your medications as prescribed, it can lead to drug interactions. Drug interactions can occur when two or more drugs are taken together and one drug affects the way the other is metabolized in the body. This can cause negative health effects, such as toxicity or an overdose.
Maintain A Medication List
Keep track of all the medications you are taking, both prescription and over-the-counter. This includes vitamins, herbs, supplements, and any other drugs, whether they are prescribed to you or not. A recent study showed that almost 50 percent of older adults didn’t know what medications they were taking. Having an up-to-date medication list will help make sure your health care provider knows all the medications you are taking and can help prevent dangerous drug interactions from occurring. A list can also help you keep track of when you last took medication and if you are running low on any prescriptions.
Be Mindful of Possible Drug Interactions and Side Effects
It’s important to know if the medications you are taking have any drug interactions. Tell your health care provider about all other prescription or over-the-counter medications, including dietary or herbal supplements, because they could interact with your current medication. To determine whether there is an interaction between two drugs, think about whether the drug can be taken together, such as at the same time or one right after another. Some common types of interactions include additive effects which means that when the two drugs are taken together they both work more powerfully than either does alone; potentiation occurs when one drug enhances the effect of another, and antagonism is when one drug inhibits the action of another.
Review Medications with your Doctor
It’s a good idea to have a yearly medication review with your health care provider. This is especially important as you get older and more medications are added to your list. During this meeting, your health care provider will ask about any adverse drug reactions you may be experiencing and whether there are any new medications that should be added to your current treatment plan. They will review your medication list and determine if any of the medications you are currently taking may cause adverse effects when taken together.
Conclusion
To avoid adverse drug effects, take all medications as prescribed and only take over-the-counter drugs with the specific approval of your personal health care provider. If you are taking any type of medication regularly – whether it’s a prescription drug or an over-the-counter remedy – be sure to check with your health care provider before stopping or starting any new medications. This will help ensure that you continue receiving the treatment that is right for you.