MEDICINE MISTAKES A MENACE

TIME to take your medicine? Before you down your pills, take a dose of
caution.

All of those tablets and tonics can treat illnesses and keep you
healthy. But the wrong amount or combination of medications can
endanger your health and even kill you.

Mistakes with drugs are responsible for almost 20 percent of all
hospitalizations among older adults -- nearly six times higher than
that of the general population.

Improper use of prescription drugs accounts for more than 100,000
deaths in the United States each year; more than 50 percent of those
deaths are among people age 65 and older.

Different directions

46or people who are forgetful or have complicated medication
routines, taking prescription and non-prescription drugs properly can
be difficult.

Some pharmaceuticals are designed to be taken with food, before food,
after food, with no food or with extra fluids, while others must be
taken whole, crushed or dissolved in the mouth.

Multiply that by two, three or four different daily medications and
the result is a confusing schedule that too often results in
prescriptions taken incorrectly.

``The challenge lies in the fact that each tablet, capsule or vitamin
has its own dosage requirements, '' says Andrea Tannenbaum, president
of Dynamic Living Inc. (www.dynamic-living.com), an online catalog of
products to make living easier. ``This can be quite bewildering. But
there are a number of options to make the process more
manageable.''

Check with doctor

Your doctor and pharmacist are the best sources of information about
your medicines and the correct ways to take them.

Ask questions about all drugs, and don't forget over-the-counter and
herbal remedies. Be sure you understand the directions on the label.

Take the full course of any prescribed drug. If you stop, change or
take an incorrect amount, check with your doctor immediately.

Most pharmacies have computers to track a patient's medications and
guard against interactions. Use one pharmacy or drugstore chain to
fill all of your prescriptions. Ask for a printout about each
medication you take, why you take it and how often. Keep a copy of the
list with you and show it to all of your doctors to help avoid adverse
interactions.

Post a list of your daily medication routine in a visible location. If
there is an emergency, it will be easier for others to identify the
medications you are taking.

Use memory tricks to help remember when and how to take your pills.
Store them in places that will remind you to take them at the right
time.