ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – More than 131 million Americans, or 66% of adults, take prescription medications. But not everyone takes them correctly. Medication errors result in 7,000 to 9,000 deaths each year.
Like most Americans, medications are a part of life.
“I'm currently taking four different medications for my blood pressure,” Anne Gwynn says.
“Taking medications is hard. It can get complicated, especially when you're prescribed a lot of different medications,” explains Daniel Munoz, M.D., a cardiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
But if you use your medications incorrectly, you could be putting yourself at risk: A recent report found that more than 9 million American adults have tried to save money by skipping doses, reducing doses, or delaying prescription fillings.
“The more medications you are prescribed and pick up at the pharmacy, the higher your out-of-pocket costs will be,” Dr. Munoz says.
But not taking certain medications on schedule can be dangerous. For example, not taking beta-blockers can cause your blood pressure to spike, increasing your risk of a heart attack. Another mistake is taking two doses when you miss one. If it's almost time for your next dose, it's often better to skip the missed dose. Another mistake is stopping taking a medication. You should only take your medication for the length of time your doctor prescribes it.
“I'll put together little boxes with my morning medication and my afternoon medication,” Gwynn says.
Some medicines, such as antidepressants, can cause harmful withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking them. It is also a mistake to share medicines with other people. Medicines are prescribed taking into account your height, weight, age and health condition. Medication errors must be avoided.
According to the University of California, Davis, every eight minutes a child experiences a medication error at home. The most common mistakes are giving the wrong medicine, administering a medicine a child is allergic to, or taking the wrong amount.
Click here to report a typo.
Copyright 2024 WAFB. All rights reserved.
