It sometimes seems as though a new medication hits the market every other day. The proliferation of prescription and over-the-counter medications, with names that are barely pronounceable, is staggering.

Engineered to treat, cure, or prevent everything from common aches, pains and itches to infectious diseases and cardiac arrest, the advances and discoveries made by the pharmaceutical industry have had a profound effect on the health, quality of life, and longevity of the American public.

However, like most areas of life, with progress comes struggle and increased responsibility. It is a struggle to know the best medication for whatever condition we might have. We need to know how the medication will affect us, and/or how it might be affected by other substances either in our diet or that we take routinely.

We rely heavily on our physicians and pharmacists for answers to these and other questions, but we also bear some responsibility for our own care. It is our responsibility, as partners with our doctors and pharmacists, to be knowledgeable and assertive about the medications we take.

It is the responsibility of your prescribing physician to:

3 Explain to you the condition that you are being treated for in a way that you can understand.

3 Tell you the name of the medication and its expected effect on your condition.

3 Warn you of side effects, or “untoward” effects. (Those effects that normally occur with the use of the drug, but which are different from what you are used to, like the drug Pyridium which normally turns urine a bright orange color.)

3 Give you some idea of how long you may need to take the medication, and any special ways the medication is to be taken (i.e. before meals, at bedtime, etc.).

It is the responsibility of the pharmacist to:

3 Provide you with a medication label that clearly states the name and strength of the medication, how much you should take, by what route (i.e. by mouth, drops placed in the eye, etc.) and how often. There is also the name and phone number of the issuing physician, the pharmacy phone number, and brightly colored stickers that warn of potential dangers. In addition to the label, pharmacies provide pamphlets, leaflets, or one-page patient information guides that give additional information about the medication.

Your responsibility:

3 Ask questions of your physician. If you don't understand something he or she is telling you, please ask to have it re-explained. Physicians and nurses are humans too, and as such they sometimes become distracted, or forget that they are not talking to a person who is well versed in `medical-speak.' Sometimes silence or a lack of questions can be misinterpreted as understanding.

3 If you are still having difficulty understanding, there are several things you may want to do.

1. While you are at home and relaxed, think about the questions you have and write them down. Then call and speak to your doctor, or take the list with you on your next visit.

2. Ask a friend or a relative to visit the doctor with you, and have him or her interpret what the doctor is saying in terms that you understand.

3. Ask questions of pharmacists. They are a wealth of information, and they are happy to share it with their patrons.

3 Know the names of your medications. I cannot tell you how difficult it is to translate “that little blue pill that I take twice a day” into the name and dose of an actual medication. There are many “little blue pills” on the market that come in many strengths and are used to treat many different conditions. Having to guess about such an important issue is dangerous. Write the name, strength, and how many times a day you take each medication on a 3x5 card and keep it in your wallet. Then you won't have to try to remember those unpronounceable names.

3 If you have more than one doctor, make sure to tell each what the other has prescribed for you. Likewise, do not add over-the-counter medicine or herbal alternatives while taking prescription medications without first discussing it with your doctor or pharmacist. The interaction of some drugs can be harmful, even lethal. In some cases, one drug may cancel out the effects of the other, causing the condition for which you are being treated to worsen.

3 Take your medication as prescribed. The old “if one is good, then two is better” does not apply when it comes to medicine. Overmedicating can cause serious complications such as sedations, organ toxidity, organ damage, organ failure, cardiovascular symptoms, or systemic reactions. In some cases, may even render the treatment ineffective; in other circumstances long-term overmedicating can lead to addictions.

3 If you have difficulty remembering to take your medication, purchase a pillbox. They come in many different forms with compartments for the days of the week, the time of day, etc. If you miss a dose and it is close to the time for your next dose, follow your doctor's instruction or just wait and take the next dose.

3 If you begin to notice side effects, don't just stop taking the medication. Call your doctor immediately! Remember that the problem you are taking medication for still needs treatment. Chances are that if you are sensitive to one medication, the physician will be able to find another that will provide the desired results without those annoying side effects.

3 Unless you have been otherwise instructed by your physician, or your prescription is to be taken only “as needed for” some specific symptom, complete your prescription. This is especially important if you are being treated with antibiotics, which are prescribed for the specific amount of time it will take to kill a particular bacteria. You will generally feel better within 24-48 hours of starting an antibiotic, but when treatment is cut short, not all the bacteria are killed. Of those that are left, some develop new genes that protect them from being destroyed by the antibiotic. This is becoming a very serious problem in the United States. We now have some strains of bacteria that have become resistant to just about all our major antibiotics. Vancomycin-resistant entercocci, or VRE, is one such bacteria.

3 Never share medication with another person. This can be extremely dangerous! You don't know what other medicines that person is taking or what his or her allergies are. An act of kindness can have deadly results. I am reminded of the caring grandmother who, while baby-sitting, noticed that her granddaughter was exhibiting symptoms she associated with strep throat. She had some antibiotics left from the last time she was treated for strep (first mistake), and since the child's parents were out of town, she decided to give her one capsule with some juice. In less than 20 minutes, the child was gasping for breath in the back of an ambulance. She was having a systemic reaction (anaphylaxis) due to a penicillin allergy the grandmother did not know about. Don't share, and take your antibiotics until they are all gone.

3 Check the bottle label and read the name of the drug every time you take the medication to prevent mistakes.

3 Review your medications with your physician periodically to ensure that you are taking medication that is necessary and in the correct amount.

3 Throw away medicines that are past their expiration date, and always store medications in a cool, dry place.

3 Don't allow your long-term prescriptions (i.e. cardiac, antihypertensives, diabetic medicines, steroids, etc.) to run out. If a doctor's appointment is needed before refill, make sure that is scheduled for at least one or tow weeks before your medication supply runs out. In some cases, if you have waited too long and are out of an essential prescription medication, the doctor may be willing to call a prescription in to your pharmacy that will be enough to carry you through to the date of your appointment. Alternatively, maybe the doctor can work you in that day. Don't be afraid to inform staff of your situation and ask for help.

As you can see, there are many things we can do to be active in our own medical care, and to be safe when it comes to taking medications. Medication safety really is vital to good health, and as such, is “nothing to sneeze at.”

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