Medication Safety Tips: Minimizing Medication Side Effects
All medications are associated with benefits, however, all medications contain chemical substances that may cause side effects. A side effect is an unsafe adverse effect that occurs in addition to the desired therapeutic effect of a medication. A medication side effects may be physical, such as vomiting or distorted vision, other side effects influence the mood and emotions of a person.
A person's age, gender, weight, ethnicity and general health condition has a great impact on how side effects manifest. Children and old people are exposed to a higher side effects risk when taking medications. Side effects may arise:
• as a reaction to a medication
• as a consequence of incorrect dosage
• when interacting with other medications
• when starting or ending a medication treatment
In order to maximize the therapeutic effects, and minimize the drugs' side effects, Top.Md provides you with a list of tips on how to correctly store the medications, when and why to avoid taking medicines, and other useful information about medications and side effects.
Never take medications without consulting a doctor. Prior to taking any medication, even the over-the-counter drugs, you are strongly advised to consult a doctor to avoid the risk of a medicine's side effects. Drugs may have different reactions depending on age, sex, state of the illness, and other.
Store the medications correctly. To preserve the drugs in their best form and minimize side effects, medications should be stored in a dry and cool place. Most of the medicines should be stored in a place below 30°C temperature, others should be stored in a refrigerator. Preserve the original parcel of the medication, along with all the administration instructions.
Do not take medication past its expiry date. The expiration date guarantees that a drug maintains its entire efficiency and safety. When the medication expires, it is not guaranteed that it will remain chemically stable, thus, expired drugs may cause serious health problems and side effects.
Do not take medications prescribed for someone else. Even if the symptoms look alike, only a specialist may indicate the appropriate drugs for each person depending on the condition. Medicines prescribed for someone else may not be suitable for your illness or condition. Taking wrong drugs may delay the correct treatment, and allow the illness to worsen. Drugs may have different effects on different people, it depends on a person's age, sex, weight etc.
Consult a doctor if you're pregnant. Taking medicines while pregnant without a doctor's advise may cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting and could negatively influence on the development and growth of the fetus. Therefore, you are strongly advised to consult a doctor before taking any medication while pregnant. When planning to conceive or breastfeeding, taking medications should also be avoided due to the risk of possible medication side effects.
Do not mix alcohol with medications. Alcohol can provoke and intensify medication side effects. Even small amounts of alcohol can affect the normal functions of some drugs. Combining alcohol with medicines can lead to such side effects as nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, fainting, and loss of coordination. You are strongly advised to stay away from this dangerous mix in order to minimize medication side effects.
Avoid drug combination. Side effects may also occur as a result of combining two or more medications, or when mixing a medication with a substance such herbal supplement, drink and/or food. People that take multiple medications at once expose themselves to a high risk of potential serious drug interactions, and harmful side effects.
Respect the drug prescription, dosage and timing. The correct dosage and timing are important factors in the treatment. If the dosage is augmented, or the timing is not respected, side effects may arise and the treatment may lose its efficacy.
Health is the thing that affects all the aspects of one's life. Being caution when taking drugs assures to minimize medication side effects and increase medication benefits. Play it safe, take medications responsively.