Why You Need to Take Your Medications as Prescribed or ...

8 Tips to Sticking to Your Medication Routine · Take your medication at the same time every day. · Tie taking your medications with a daily ... Skiptomaincontent SkiptoFDASearch Skiptointhissectionmenu Skiptofooterlinks Inthissection: SpecialFeatures SpecialFeatures Home Drugs ResourcesforYou|Drugs SpecialFeatures WhyYouNeedtoTakeYourMedicationsasPrescribedorInstructed SpecialFeatures 8TipstoStickingtoYourMedicationRoutineStickingtoyourmedicationroutine(ormedicationadherence)meanstakingyourmedicationsasprescribed–therightdose,attherighttime,intherightwayandfrequency.Whyisdoingthesethingsimportant?Simplyput,nottakingyourmedicineasprescribedbyadoctororinstructedbyapharmacistcouldleadtoyourdiseasegettingworse,hospitalization,evendeath.TheHighCostofNotTakingYourMedicinesasPrescribedTheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)estimatesthatnon-adherencecauses30to50percentofchronicdiseasetreatmentfailuresand125,000deathsperyearinthiscountry.Twentyfiveto50percentofpatientsbeingtreatedwithstatins(cholesterolloweringmedications)whostoptheirtherapywithinoneyearhaveuptoa25percentincreasedriskfordying.Statisticallyspeaking:Theproblemofnottakingmedicineasprescribed20to30percentofnewprescriptionsareneverfilledatthepharmacy.Medicationisnottakenasprescribed50percentofthetime.Forpatientsprescribedmedicationsforchronicdiseases,aftersixmonths,themajoritytakelessmedicationthanprescribedorstopthemedicationaltogether.Only51percentofpatientstakingmedicationsforhighbloodpressurecontinuetakingtheirmedicationduringtheirlong-termtreatment.Source:CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)WhySomeDon’tTakeMedicationsasPrescribedManypatientsdonotfollowhealth-careproviderinstructionsonhowtotakemedicationsforvariousreasons.Suchas,notunderstandingthedirections,forgetfulness,multiplemedicationswithdifferentregimens,unpleasantsideeffectsorthemedicationdoesn’tseemtobeworking. Costcanalsobeafactorcausingmedicationnon-adherence--patientscan’taffordtofilltheirprescriptionsordecidetotakelessthantheprescribeddosetomaketheprescriptionlastlonger.“However,tohelpyougetthebestresultsfromyourmedicationstakingyourmedicineasinstructedisveryimportant,”saysKimberlyDeFronzo,R.Ph.,M.S.,M.B.A.,aConsumerSafetyOfficerinFDA'sCenterforDrugEvaluationandResearch.TipstoHelpYouTakeYourMedicineTakingyourmedicineasprescribedormedicationadherenceisimportantforcontrollingchronicconditions,treatingtemporaryconditions,andoveralllong-termhealthandwell-being.Apersonalconnectionwithyourhealth-careproviderorpharmacistisanimportantpartofmedicationadherence. “Becauseyourpharmacistisanexpertinmedications,theycanhelpsuggesthowbesttotakeyourmedications,”saysDeFronzo.However,youplaythemostimportantpartbytakingallofyourmedicationsasdirected.Hereare8tipsthatmayhelp: Takeyourmedicationatthesametimeeveryday.Tietakingyourmedicationswithadailyroutinelikebrushingyourteethorgettingreadyforbed.Beforechoosingmealtimeforyourroutine,checkifyourmedicationshouldbetakenonafulloremptystomach.Keepa“medicinecalendar”withyourpillbottlesandnoteeachtimeyoutakeadose.Useapillcontainer.Sometypeshavesectionsformultipledosesatdifferenttimes,suchasmorning,lunch,evening,andnight.Whenusingapillcontainer,refillitatthesametimeeachweek.Forexample,everySundaymorningafterbreakfast.Purchasetimercapsforyourpillbottlesandsetthemtogooffwhenyournextdoseisdue.Somepillboxesalsohavetimerfunctions.Whentravelling,becertaintobringenoughofyourmedication,plusafewdaysextra,incaseyourreturnisdelayed.Ifyou’reflying,keepyourmedicationinyourcarry-onbagtoavoidlostluggage.Temperaturesinsidethecargoholdcoulddamageyourmedication.HerearetwoveryusefulFDAwebsiteswithmoretipsandtoolstohelpyoutakeyourmedicationasprescribed:“AreYouTakingYourMedicationasPrescribed?”and“UpdatesandInformationforConsumers.”Ifyouhavequestionsaboutyourmedication,don’tbeshy--askyourhealth-careproviderorpharmacistanddon’tdelay. Remember,thelifeyousavemaybeyourown!ResourcesForYouStop--Learn--Go--TipsforTalkingwithYourPharmacisttoLearnHowtoUseMedicinesSafelyTakingMedicationSafelyYourMedicine:BeSmart,BeSafeMedicationGuidesMedicationAdherence(October2015) Contentcurrentasof: 02/16/2016 SpecialFeatures BacktoTop