Prescription drug side effects: 5 steps to keep you out of the emergency room

August 9, 12:28 AMHealth Care ExaminerSheila Guilloton

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Review all prescription drugs you
are taking with your doctor regularly

Prescription drug abuse has been in the news lately because of the death of Michael Jackson. But did you know that as many as 700,000 Americans end up in emergencies room every year because they failed to take a few reasonable precautions before taking their prescription medications?

The most severe cases of prescription drug abuse are generally caused by unintentional overdoses.  Just a few medications are responsible for almost one third of the cases that require a trip to the emergency room.  All of these drugs must be monitored closely to prevent the user from taking too much or too little of the medication into their bloodstreams.

The drugs that are most commonly involved in adverse drug events are

Warfarin is an anticoagulant (blood thinner), brand names Coumadin or Jantoven
Insulin for diabetes
Digoxin increases the strength and vigor of heart contractions, and is useful in the treatment of heart failure, brand name Lanoxin.

Five Steps to keep you safe

You should never avoid taking medication if they are prescribed by your doctor. Taken properly, these medications seldom cause serious side effects, but you must be informed about your medications -- know how to take them and what sorts of adverse reactions can occur.  Here are some general guidelines  on how to avoid adverse drug events.

1. Ask your doctor about side effects. What are the most common adverse effects of your medications? How can you recognize them? What can you do to prevent them? What should you do if a side effect occurs?

2. Take your medications as directed. If you are even slightly unsure about the right way to take your medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain the instructions again. I f you have problems understanding your doctor's instructions, ask the doctor to write them down or bring along a family member or friend to take notes.

3. Do not skip any  follow-up appointments.  If you are supposed to return to the doctor regularly for physical examinations or blood tests to check your response to the drug,  make sure you go.

4. Make sure family, friends, or coworkers know that you're at risk for a serious adverse drug event, and make sure they know what to do if one happens. Consider wearing a medical alert bracelet or carrying a medication card in your wallet, so that people know you are taking a medication that is associated with serious side effects.

5. At least once a year, review all the medications you are taking with your doctor. Your doctor will evaluate whether any of your medications are unnecessary, redundant, or interact with each other.