WELLNESS
What should you ask your doctor
when they prescribe a new drug?
Asking the right questions when doctors suggest medication can help men and women decide if prescription medicine is their best option.
Though few people may
want to take medicine each
day, prescription drugs
prolong lives and help
people manage conditions
that might otherwise make
it difficult to live life to the
fullest.
A 2017 survey from
Consumer Reports found that
55 percent of people living
in the United States take a
prescription medicine. The
survey also found that those
who take prescription drugs
use an average of four such
medications. That figure
might alarm some people,
especially aging men and
women whose bodies might
be more susceptible to
conditions that are often
treated with medication.
There’s no denying that
prescription drugs can save
lives. But men and women
have a right to explore
their options when doctors
prescribe them medications,
and asking the right
questions when doctors
suggest medication can help
men and women decide if
prescription medicine is
their best option.
To help men and women
make the best decisions
regarding their healthcare,
the National Institute on
Aging advises people to
ask their physicians these
questions when being
prescribed a new medicine:
• What is the name of
the medicine, and why am I
taking it?
• Which medical condition
does this medicine treat?
• How many times a day
should I take the medicine,
and at what times should I
take it?
• If the prescription
instructions say the
medicine must be taken
“four times a day,” does that
mean four times in 24 hours
or four times during the
daytime?
• How much medicine
should I take?
• Should I take the
medicine on its own or with
food? Should I avoid certain
foods and beverages when
taking this medicine?
• How long will it take
this medicine to work?
• Will this medicine cause
problems if I am taking
other medicines?
• Can I safely operate a
motor vehicle while taking
this medication?
• What does “as needed”
mean?
• When should I stop
taking the medicine?
• What should I do if I
forget to take my medicine,
?
• Can I expect any side
effects? What should I do if
I have a problem?
• Will I need a refill, and
how do I arrange that?
When discussing
medications with a
physician, it’s imperative
that men and women be
forthcoming about any
other medicines they
might be taking under the
guidance of other doctors.
In addition, men and women
should tell their physicians
about any over-the-counter
medicines or vitamins and
supplements they are taking.
Sharing such information
can prevent potentially
serious complications from
arising.
Medicine saves lives
every day. Smart patients
can help medicine do its
job by learning about their
medications and discussing
them openly and honestly
with their physicians.
TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM APR. 19-25, 2019 23
/TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM
