Every week, seniors will fill their pill box.  First of all,  Americans go to the pharmacy to pick up their prescription. Second of all, they soon will find ojt that that their medications look different than last month.   The previous month’s round blue pills embossed with “amd5” are now oval. white and  imprinted with  “M135″,  Another example,  red rectangular pills are now green and round.

The old saying, “Change is good” does not apply to medications picked up at the pharmacy. . Pharmacists and health care professionals are very careful when  prescribing and dispensing the prescription medication.  To sum up,  mistakes still do happen.  What are the top ways to avoid drug errors and make certain you are get the right medications and supplements?

 Generic medication will change shapes and colors often

When a drug becomes available generically changes will happen.  First, the new manufacturer will change the color.  Second, they will change the shape as well as the imprints.  They will differ from the original capsule or tablet. For example, people want to save money.  To illustrate,  the pharmacist may switch your medicine to a generic to save you money.  This is often done when a generic has become available.

Annals of Internal Medicine researchers  published a study.  It evaluated medical records of over 11,500 Americans.  All were hospitalized for a heart attacks between 2007 and 2012. All of the study’s participants only took the generic brand of a heart medication.  For example,  beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II-receptor blockers or statins.

First of all,  30% of participants experienced a change in pill color or shape.  The proof,  changes mage people more likely to skip their meds.  The proof was indisputable.  The report said,  “35% increase in  stopping to take the r medication.  In fact, when the medication’s shape changed, the risk of stopping it leaped to 65%. Although the study cannot prove that the pill changes led to noncompliance, the association seems to be strong.  Again a perfect place for a pill box or pill organizer.

Sponsored by MED-Q Smart Pill Dispenser with Alarms

Never stop taking your medication

People ask, “Why”?  The simple answer,  many of the medications only stay in your system for a little.  Hence,  stopping the medications abruptly, in many cases, will actually worsen the condition.  Again, abrupt quitting may lead to  serious side effects.

Moreover, always know how to correctly identify the pill. Hence, always call your pharmacist or health care professional to help identifying the pill. You can also use the Pill Identification guide to verify your pill.

• DO NOT STOP taking  pills without a doctor’s okay. The study showed that patients who stopped taking heart medications, which are often life-threatening, and sometimes, or even fatal.

Look at the Pills BEFORE leaving the pharmacy.

Look at the Pills Bottles and blister packages BEFORE leaving the pharmacy.  First of all,  open your pill bottle and see if the pills looks the same. Second, check the blister packages for any differences.  In the event that the pills look different, ask the pharmacist.  Many will put a small label on the bottle or attached information letting the user know about  the change. Samuel Demar, head writer for MED-Q Smart Pill Box with Alarms, says, “Double-check with the pharmacist  before you leave the pharmacy.  To sum up, this will make  sure you have the correct pills in your pill box.”
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