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Medicines are a great benefit to our lives. They relieve pain or cure conditions that years ago would have been fatal. However, it is important to use medicines as directed. Many may be very dangerous if used improperly.
* Take prescription medications only if they were prescribed to you personally. Never take someone else's medicine. Carefully follow the label instructions. Check with your pharmacist or healthcare provider if you have any questions.
* Make sure that your healthcare providers know about all of the medications you take. This includes over-the-counter ones. Some medications are ineffective or have dangerous side effects when taken with other medications.
* Discard old medications you are no longer using. A good way is to flush them down the toilet. Also discard any medication if you can no longer read its label.
* Never mix medications in the same container.
* Use child-resistant caps on all medicine containers.
* Keep medications locked up in a cabinet.
* Do not try to get a child to take his medicine by telling him it "tastes good" or that it "is like candy". Some non-prescription medicines are dangerous when taken in large quantities. Some examples are aspirin and vitamin pills with iron.
* If you need your glasses to read, make sure you have them on when taking medicine. This way you can be sure you have the right medicine. For the same reason, be sure to turn on the light when taking medicine at night.
* If you think that a particular medicine is not working, contact your healthcare provider right away. Also let him know if it makes you feel funny, or if it is causing an unexpected or unpleasant side effect.
* Keep the phone number of your poison-control center posted near the phone. You can call them with any questions about medications, their effects, or about overdoses or accidental poisonings.
Copyright © 1997 National Health Enhancement Systems, Inc.
(602) 230-7575. All rights reserved. Information in this document is subject to change
without notice.
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