“Take one and call me in the morning!”
Far gone are the days of mono-drug therapy. Today, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep an accurate tally on medication names, doses, and how often they should be taken. Medications are often switched and their doses adjusted to get the desired effect. It is not uncommon for patients that take many pills daily as directed by their physicians. Blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, the list goes on and on.
A simple way to make you and your physician’s lives easier is to make a medication list. Keep it with you… Keep it updated… The following is a sample of how you may want to construct your list (Click to Enlarge):
Carrying a list of medications is very important in emergency situations. Patients taken to the emergency room may not be able to communicate after being involved in an accident or suffering a stroke for example. In these instances, having a medication list readily available can be life saving. By knowing the medications, doctors can determine medical history, provide supplemental medication for known conditions, and prevent potentially deadly drug interactions. Carrying an updated medication list makes patient care safer and easier for both the patient and the healthcare provider.