RespiteMatch.com Health Blog

Medicines—both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription—are a part of most people’s lives. To use medicines safely and effectively, keep the following points in mind.

What Is Dangerous?
If two or more drugs have the same effect, they
may have a greater impact together than you
might expect. For instance, a cold medication
with antihistamine can dangerously increase the
sedative effects of some painkillers, tranquilizers,
anesthetics and barbiturates. On the other
hand, an antacid can cause a blood-thinning
drug to be absorbed too slowly to do much
good or can make certain antibiotics useless.
Some foods, beverages and activities also
don’t mix with prescribed medications. Alcohol
can be particularly toxic. Because it’s a drug
rather than a food, it can produce serious side
effects and is potentially fatal when taken with
other drugs. Never consume alcohol with a drug
intended for psychiatric or emotional problems,
such as lithium carbonate or MAO inhibitors.

Side Effects Can Compromise Safety
Many OTC medicines, such as cough, cold,
allergy, weight loss and nerve-calming tablets
can impair your reaction time, possibly affecting
your driving or ability to operate power
tools safely. Some drugs or drug combinations
can also cause nausea, stomachache, irregular
heartbeat, prolonged vomiting, loss of consciousness,
stroke, blindness, and seizures or
reactions that poison your blood, raise your
blood pressure or contribute to overweight.
Both prescription and OTC drugs may be
more potent than you realize, whether they
warn you about side effects or not. However,
some people come to depend on such drugs
specifically for the numbing or dizzying side effects. People can get hooked on sleeping aids or on laxatives, antacids
or nose sprays. Such people are abusing the medicine and may be just as seriously addicted as a cocaine addict.
In addition, OTC alternative medicines such as herbs, vitamins and other supplements can cause serious
adverse reactions. Because dosages and strengths differ according to brand and manufacturer, interactions between
prescribed medications and OTC supplements can have dangerous consequences.
Toddlers and young children often mistake medicines for candy with disastrous results. Likewise, some drugs
are harmful to people with high blood pressure, kidney or heart disease or diabetes. Pregnant women (or women
planning to get pregnant in the near future) need to check with their doctor or pharmacist before taking any drugs.
Remember, any chemical agent strong enough to cure an ailment is also strong enough to cause harm if not
used wisely.

A Medicine and Drug Safety Checklist
h Always tell your doctor what medicines you’re already taking
when a new one is prescribed. And check with your doctor
before taking combinations of over-the-counter medicines.
If you’re pregnant or have diabetes, check with your doctor
before taking any medicine or consuming anything with
caffeine.
h To avoid the toxicity or double-dose effects of certain drug
combinations, learn the chemical names of common remedies.
Some remedies may also have unwanted ingredients,
such as alcohol, aspirin or caffeine.
h If you need to take a medicine at night, turn the light on to
avoid taking the wrong medicine.
h Store medicines together in a location separate from chemicals
and foods. The best location is a locked cabinet in your
bedroom rather than in the bathroom where humidity can
dilute their potency.
h Always keep medicines out of the reach of children, including
children who are visitors. Children can be amazing climbers.
h Store medicines in their original, labeled containers with
childproof caps.
h All medicines have an expiration date on them. Outdated
medicines may be harmful or may no longer be effective.
Discard outdated medicines by flushing them down the toilet.
h If the label comes off a container and there’s any doubt about
which medicine it is, discard it.
h Seniors taking multiple drugs and other medications should
always carry a list of medicines, dosages and times in case
of an emergency.