Living Well - Winter 2016 - Beaufort - 48

HEALTH BY THE NUMBERS BY MISTI CRANE

MEDICATION MISHAPS
$3.5 BILLION
700,000
emergency department
visits arise from medication
problems each year in the
United States.

Older Americans are twice as
likely to go to the emergency
department because of an
adverse drug event.

is spent on medical costs
related to prescription drug
errors each year.

Sources: U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention;
American Association of Poison
Control Centers

82%

Nearly
272,000
calls were received
by U.S. poison control
centers in 2014 for
medication errors,
usually because
someone inadvertently
took a medicine, or
took it twice.

of American adults
take at least one
medication and
29 percent take
five or more.
Unfortunately,
they're not always
taken safely.

TAKE CARE WHEN TAKING
MULTIPLE PRESCRIPTIONS

W IN TER 2016

Donovan suggests patients use the same
pharmacy for all medications, so that if they
forget to bring their meds, their healthcare
provider can call and get a complete list. Your
pharmacist is often in the best position to
quickly spot potential adverse interactions of
prescriptions written by two or more doctors,
Donovan says.
At home, managing medications can be
particularly problematic for those with faltering
memory or dementia. Pill organizers can help
you remember if you've taken the day's dosage.
If you miss a pill or realize you've taken an
extra one, call your pharmacist or doctor and
ask for advice. "Most of the time, you'll be told
to resume your normal dosage," Donovan says,
"but it's best to check to be sure."

WEBSITE

Track Your
Health
Information
MyBMH, Beaufort
Memorial's patient portal, allows you to access
key parts of your hospital
medical records online.
To register for this secure
service, go to mybmh.org.

ILLUSTRATION BY THINKSTOCK

The same medications we take to tamp down
our high blood pressure, soothe our arthritic
joints and alleviate or prevent all manner of
health problems can themselves do us harm.
And as we age and take more pills, the opportunities mount for dangerous medication interactions and overdoses.
"Your healthcare provider needs to know
all the medications you take on a daily basis,
including over-the-counter products and
supplements," says Mary Beth Donovan, a
board-certified nurse practitioner at Beaufort
Memorial Coastal Care MD. "We ask our
patients to bring their pill bottles to every
appointment. That way, we know exactly
what they're taking, the dosage and when
they need to be refilled."

http://www.mybmh.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Living Well - Winter 2016 - Beaufort