Safe Medication: 15 Key Warnings

Medication has meant an advance for the quality and life expectancy of the human being. In any case, the daily routine of taking medications makes us sometimes see this act as something without further importance.

However, in this article we will underline the importance of safe medication. We do not always have well internalized the guidelines that we must take into account to guarantee that we medicate correctly, so we will find all the necessary warnings.

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The 15 essential tips to ensure safe medication

From how to store medications to what we should ask the doctor. Next we will see that different aspects must be taken into account so that safe medication is a fact for us and for the whole family.

The following are rules for the proper use of medications that every citizen should know. We must know what to do or what not to do when we are talking about drugs.

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1. Self-medication

Self-medication must be prevented at all costs. Medicines always have to be prescribed by medical professionals or pharmacists.

2. Leaflet

Before taking any medication, the package leaflet should be read.. It could be that, for example, some contraindications were read that should be avoided. For example, in the case of pregnancy or if we are taking another type of medicine, it may be that we should not take a drug.

3. Conservation

Medicines must always be well stored in a suitable place. You should find a corner where there is no light, humidity and high temperatures. It is advisable that they are all in the same place, being able to be in the kitchen or in the bathroom.

4. Packaging

The packaging where the drugs come should not be removed. If we do, the drug can deteriorate or the doses can be altered. It is an important measure to ensure safe medication, even though it may not occur to us at times.

5. Compressed

Sometimes people chew the tablets or break them to take them separately (because of problems or fear of swallowing). The drug is not intended to be taken that way. If the affected person has swallowing problems it is better to take alternatives such as syrups if possible.

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6. Capsules

As in the previous point, there are people who alter the presentation of the drug when it is presented in capsule form. What they do is remove them to directly take the active ingredient that is inside (thinking that it is better for your body). Altering the presentation of drugs can interfere with their action due to irregularities in absorption..

7. Dose

Medication doses must always be respected. You should not take more pills than the doctor has prescribed under any circumstances. In the case of syrups, be precise with the doses using a spoon or a syringe with a meter.

8. Frequency and total administration time

In addition to the doses, it is very important to take the medicine respecting the prescribed hours and duration.. And it is that normally a drug is not taken only once. We must respect what the doctor has told us in relation to the shots.

9. Expiration

Each medicine by law comes with an expiration date, which we have to monitor that does not expire. It is counterproductive to take a medicine whose expiration date has expired, it could harm us.

10. Conservation period

There are medicines that once opened have a shorter shelf life. Normally with pills or tablets this does not happen, but for example in liquid syrups it can happen. He will put it in the box if it is.

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11. Reminders

To ensure that we do not forget to take the medication when it comes time to prepare reminders very well. This could be, for example, writing a note on the fridge (we spend a lot of time in the kitchen) or setting up alarms.

12. Kids

Children should stay away from adult medications. If we have small children it is a bad idea to have drugs within reach. On the other hand, you should never give adult medication to children. The pediatrician should always be consulted.

13. Taking other medications

The doctor must know at all times what a person is taking before prescribing new medication. Obviously, if we are not taking anything there is nothing more to say. But in no case should any medication that is being taken be hidden from the doctor.

14. Doubts in the consultation

When you are in the consultation with your doctor, do not hesitate to ask any questions. Above all, the important thing is to know how it should be taken, but it is also good that we are interested in why we should take it. Don't be ashamed to ask questions like how the drug works or its side effects.

15. Feedback to the doctor

The appearance of any discomfort or allergy should be reported to the doctor. In the event that taking the drug causes undesirable symptoms to appear, the doctor has to assess the case. If necessary, you can withdraw the medicine to give us another medicine or study another solution.

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Bibliographic references

• Campmany, M.E. (2006). Preservation and administration of medications. OFFARM, 25 (8), 70-7.

• Donaldson, L.J., Kelley, E.T., Dhingra-Kumar, N., Kieny, M.P. and Sheikh, A. (2017). Medication without harm: WHO’s third global patient safety challenge. Lancet, 389 (10080), 1680–1681.

• Tannenbaum, C., Farrell, B., Shaw, J., Morgan, S., Trimble, J., Currie, J., et al. (2017). An ecological approach to reducing potentially inappropriate medication use: Canadian Deprescribing Network. Can J Aging, 36 (1), 97–107.