What patients do not understand about their prescription drugs or medication is that it can harm them if not properly handled. Almost 6 in 10 Americans choose a prescription medication, while about 21 percent of these frequently take 3 or more prescription drugs. Based on https://www.askthetrainer.com/can-you-get-a-prescription-online-in-the-u-k/, prescription drugs are obtainable through doctors, over the counters, and even online. Pharmacists can promote patient security by ensuring that patients can understand the intricacies of the drugs, which may reduce preventable injury and drug errors. Especially, pharmacists can help everyone learn the following about medications.
Understanding Medications
Understanding medication involves what types of medicines they are taking and why. According to the Institute of Medicine, nearly half of American adults have trouble understanding their medications’ instructions. Pharmacists can play an important role in helping patients understand their medications. Among the most common mistakes people make when it comes to their medications is forgetting the initials after the drug name (“XR” for extended release or “LA” for long-term), instead of knowing if it’s the brand name or a generic version. Remarkably, the adolescent population has a particularly poor understanding of how their medications work. Several studies have shown that an alarming 50 percent of teens are not adequately informed about over-the-counter medications, so pharmacists should reach out to parents to make sure they know their child’s medication regimen.
Knowing How and When to Take Medications
While most Americans recognize the importance of taking prescription drugs as prescribed, people who skip or forget doses tend to be less aware of the health consequences of noncompliance. Patients need to know the dose of the medication, when to take it, and the expected treatment interval, including whether it should be taken with food. Pharmacists can play an important role in helping patients understand their medications, especially with changes in approach. For instance, patients who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their caregivers should be able to demonstrate proper inhaler technique at the time of discharge.
Understanding the Side Effects and Dangers of Medications
Side effects can range from peculiar to disgusting or frightening, so patients should understand what to look for. Also, people must understand the difference between an adverse drug effect and an interaction with negative consequences that can be avoided. Pharmacists need to make sure they are aware of possible side effects, especially in the case of drugs with black box warnings. Because different people may react differently to the same medication, pharmacists must emphasize how harmful it is to see a patient talk about their medications. Drug sharing is very common among adolescent and young adult patients. One survey found that 71% of students believe that prescription drug sharing is fairly common among their acquaintances.