13 Golden rules for safe medication use

Credit: Burlingham

Read the fine print—even if you need a magnifying glass. Pay attention to side effects and be cautious about drug interactions. When you pick up your prescription medications, always check the label to make sure it is the right medication. Fatal mistakes do happen.

Many drugs contain the same or similar active ingredients, and you can get too much of that ingredient without realising it if you take more than one of them.

For instance, do not take a blood thinner like warfarin with aspirin, cimetidine or vitamin E, which also thins the blood.

Let all your GPs know which drugs you are taking. This includes non-prescription drugs and vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements, as well as prescription medications.

It is a good idea to keep a list of your medications, with both generic and brand names, in your wallet for easy reference. Also, ask for your GP's advice on which non-prescription drugs are best for you.

If all your medications are dispensed by the same GP, there is a greater chance that any drug duplications or dangerous interactions will be spotted before a problem occurs.

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If you are having side effects or just do not feel right after starting a medicine, don’t ignore it. Look for common symptoms of drug-drug interactions, including nausea or upset stomach, headache, heartburn and dizziness. If you experience more than mild discomfort, call your GP.

Don’t try to supplement your prescription drugs with non-prescription drugs to get faster relief. Also, ask your GP when you can safely stop taking a medication.

With non-prescription drugs, take the smallest effective dose you can. Better still, see if eating more nutritiously, exercising more, avoiding stress or making other lifestyle changes will help.

Follow directions thoroughly. If you need to take a drug four times a day, for example, find out whether that really means every six hours—it might not. Don’t chew, crush or break tablets or capsules unless your GP specifically tells you to. Chewing sustained-release medications could cause them to be absorbed too quickly, resulting in an overdose.

Splitting some tablets in half isn’t wise either if they’re not meant to be split—for instance, if they are coated to be long-lasting or to protect the stomach. If your GP recommends splitting pills, ask the GP to do it for you.

Don’t put different drugs in the same container; you can get them mixed up too easily. Keep them in their original containers, even when travelling. Watch where you put the containers, too. Tubes of ointments or creams should not sit right next to your toothpaste, for example. You will be asking for trouble when you’re in a hurry.

Never share your medications—it is possible they could harm someone they are not meant for. And if you have leftover or expired medications, flush them down the toilet. Don’t just toss them into the rubbish bin because they could poison children or pets.

Keep your medications out of the reach of children but not in your bathroom cabinet. The bathroom tends to be humid, and medications should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. A bedroom cupboard is better.

Some non-prescription medicines, such as cold and flu remedies, contain as many as five different drugs. To minimise the possibility of experiencing side effects and unexpected interactions, choose a product with only the ingredients you need.

Credit: Anastasiia_Guseva

Don’t take leftover medications from an old prescription or use drugs past their expiry date. Out-of-date drugs can be less potent or even toxic.

If you keep medications on your bedside table in case you need to take something during the night, keep a torch handy so you can see exactly what you are taking.

Don’t keep sedatives, narcotics or tranquillisers beside your bed. You could inadvertently repeat a dose if you take it while you’re half asleep.

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