Medication errors can cause serious problems to New Mexico residents, and not all errors are the result of a mistake by a medical professional. Often, people make dangerous errors in taking their own medication. However, there are also steps they can take to prevent those mistakes.
Reading the insert that comes with the medication is important, and people should clarify any points they do not understand with their doctor or pharmacist. They should also use the measuring device that is provided with the medication rather than household items such as teaspoons. For many medications, it is important to keep a steady dose in the system, and therefore, skipping doses due to forgetfulness or thrift can be dangerous. People who skip doses because they are struggling to afford their medication should ask for a generic and look into discount generic drug programs. People who tend to forget should use reminders and organizers to help them remember.
Taking drugs with the wrong food is another problem. Some foods, such as grapefruit and bananas, may have surprising interactions with some drugs, so people should ask their doctors about any potential food interactions. Splitting some pills can also cause problems if the pill is a time-release type.
Unfortunately, medical professionals do make medication errors as well, and these might range from prescribing the wrong dosage to the wrong medication. These errors could seriously affect a person’s health ranging from a life-threatening reaction to simply not treating the condition the person has. A person who has suffered health problems as a result of the wrong medication might want to speak to an attorney about filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.
