Multiple medications can pose a risk

A 50-state study, recently reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, indicates that 40 percent of us are not taking our medications as directed. If we have three or more medical conditions, that number jumps up to 52 percent.

The biggest concern is that 24 percent of us with three or more conditions haven’t told our doctors about medications that have been prescribed by other doctors. It’s in those multiple medications that a real danger lies: The more medications we take, the bigger the risk of drug interaction. Thirty percent of hospital admissions for seniors are due to drug interactions.

Whenever you are prescribed a new medication, you need to ask your doctor:

“The purpose of the medication and whether you’re being given the lowest possible effective dosage.

“Whether there are any side effects.

“Whether there are any dietary restrictions associated with the medication, such as grapefruit or dairy products.

The communication needs to go both ways. All of your doctors need to know:

“The names and dosages of all medications you currently take, including any that are over the counter, supplements or herbals. Put them all in a shoebox and take them in. Carry the list with you at all times in case of emergency. (Take the list to your pharmacist, too, to be put in your record.)

“Whether you drink coffee (the caffeine can interact with some medications) or tea.

“If you’re not taking all your medications, especially if the reason is cost. The study also showed that 41 percent of the time, a lower-cost medication can be substituted.

To stay safer, have all your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy. Another set of eyes looking at what we’re taking is one more chance for someone to notice a possible drug interaction.