Why Your Medications Matters ?

Take the medications prescribed

Taking medication exactly as your doctor recommends is not always as simple as it may seem. And, in fact, it can be quite complex. There are many factors that will make you either more or less likely to take your medication. Some of these factors include:

• How easy it is to take the medication
• How many times a day you have to take the medication 
• Your perception of the benefit of the medication
• Your perception of the risks of not taking the medication
• The risks of taking the medication including having side effects
• The total number of pills you take in a day
• How well you perceive the medication to be working
• The cost of the medication

Even if you decide you want to take a medication, it is not always easy to remember to take it. After all, we are humans, not elephants. It can be a challenge to make taking medications as part of your daily routine, but before you know it will become as natural as brushing your teeth or having a meal.

Taking medications as prescribed is important. Using medications the right way will help you to:

• Get the full benefits of your medication. If you take only half the prescribed dose of the medication, you will not get the full benefits of the medication that your doctor recommended.
• Avoid unwanted side effects. If you take more medication than recommended because you want more of the benefits of the medication, you are at an increased risk of developing side effects. Furthermore, you may not get additional benefits.
• Avoid medication conflicts. Some medications should not be taken together. If they are, the effect of one or both of the medications may be increased or decreased, leading to potential problems.

The consequences of not taking medications properly 

Not taking medications properly leads to unnecessary hospital admissions, illness, and even deaths. It also costs the health care system millions of rupees or dollars every year. Some interesting statistics include the following: 

1. 10% of hospital admissions result directly from not taking medications as recommended 
2. About one-third of seniors admitted to the hospital had a history of not taking their medications properly 
3. Not taking medications properly was a factor in 20% of preventable adverse reactions to medications
4. Adverse reactions to medications may be the one of the top 10 leading causes of death

However, there is a lot you can do to help take your medication as prescribed. Speak to your pharmacist to learn more about how to take your medication and what to do if you are having trouble using it as prescribed.

Misusing your medications?

Unfortunately many people do not take their medications correctly. Some interesting statistics include:

• More than 50% of people do not take their medication as prescribed.
• 20% of people take less medication than prescribed by their doctor.
• 10% of people do not take any medication at all, even after purchasing the medication.
• 10% of people do not get their prescription filled at all (for some health conditions, this figure reaches as high as 50%).
• 30% of people stop taking a medication before they are scheduled to.

by

Akshaya Srikanth

Pharm.D Internee

Hyderabad, India