Many people take medicines every day. You might need to take medicine for an infection or to treat a chronic illness.
Take charge of your health. Ask and learn about your medicines.
Take the time to know about your medicine. Ask questions when you don't know the meaning of a word, or when instructions aren't clear. Write down the answers. Bring a family member or friend to the pharmacy or your doctor’s visits to help you with all of the information.
When your doctor prescribes a medicine, find out about it. Here are some questions you can ask:
Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse about the right way to take your medicine. Here are some specific questions to ask:
Ask about how you will feel.
Ask if this new medicine fits in with your other medicines.
Ask if your new medicine interferes with eating or drinking.
Ask other questions:
Your medicine: Be smart. Be safe. Patient Guide. AHRQ Publication No. 11-0049-A, April 2011. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD, and the National Council on Patient Information and Education, Rockville, MD. Accessed June 3, 2012.
Taking medicines safely NIH senior health. Last reviewed January 2011. Accessed May 25, 2012.
Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.
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