Your Medicine: Be Smart. Be Safe.

Learn more about how to takemedicines safely. Use the wallet cardat the back of this booklet to keeptrack of your medicines.

Keep this booklet with your medicines andtalk with your doctor* if you have anyquestions, concerns, or worries.

This booklet was developed by the Agency forHealthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) andthe National Council on Patient Informationand Education (NCPIE).

How to order copies of this bookletFor up to 10 free copies of this booklet, e-mailthe AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse atAHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov or call 800-358-9295.

Larger quantities can be purchased from theNCPIE, which also offers more informationabout safe medicine use.

Visit its Web sites:www.talkaboutrx.orgwww.bemedwise.org

Or contact NCPIE:National Council on Patient Information andEducation 200-A Monroe Street, Suite 212Rockville, MD 20850Phone: 301-340-3940Fax: 301-340-3944

*The term “doctor” is used in this booklet to refer to the person who helps you manage your health care.

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Your Medicine: Be Smart. Be Safe.Have you ever had a problem with yourmedicines? You are not alone. There are somany things to keep track of. For example, youmay have asked yourself:

n When exactly should I take my medicine?

n Is it safe to take vitamins when I take aprescription medicine?

n Now that I feel better, can I stop taking thismedicine?

Medicine is prescribed to help you. But it canhurt if you take too much or mix medicinesthat don’t go together. Many people haveproblems each year, some serious, because oftaking the wrong medicine or not taking theright medicines correctly.

You can help yourself get the best results bybeing a part of your “health care team.” Yourhealth care team includes:

n The doctor, physician assistant, nursepractitioner, or other professionals whoprescribe your medicine or are in charge ofyour care.

n A nurse who helps you at home, a doctor’soffice, or a hospital.

n The pharmacist who fills your prescriptionand can answer questions about yourmedicines.

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Four Ways to Be Smartand Safe With Medicines

Give your health care teamimportant information.

Be a partner with your health care team. Tellthem about all the medicines, vitamins,herbals, and dietary supplements you’re taking.This includes:

4 Prescription medicines.

4 Medicines you can buy without aprescription, such as aspirin, diet pills,antacids, laxatives, allergy medicine, andcough medicine.

4 Vitamins, including multivitamins.

4 Dietary or herbal supplements such as St.John’s wort or ginkgo biloba.

List them all on the wallet card in the back ofthis booklet.

Be sure to tell your health care team:

n If you have allergies (including medicine-related allergies) or if you have hadproblems when taking a medicine.

n About other doctors or health professionalswho have prescribed medicine for you orsuggested that you take a vitamin or herbalsupplement.

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n If you are pregnant, may get pregnant, orare nursing.

n About any other illness or medicalcondition, like diabetes or high bloodpressure.

n If cost is a concern. There may be anothermedicine that costs less and will work thesame.

“I go to my regular doctor for most things,but sometimes I go to a specialist. No matterwho I’m going to see, I always take my listof medicines with me and show it to thedoctor.”

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Ask questions about every new prescriptionmedicine. Get the answers you need from yourhealth care team before you take yourmedicine.

If your doctor writes your prescription byhand, make sure you can read it. If you can’tread your doctor’s handwriting, yourpharmacist might not be able to either. If yourdoctor submits your prescription directly to thepharmacy, ask for a copy.

Ask your doctor to write down on theprescription why you need the medicine. . . forexample, not just “take once a day” but “takeonce a day for high blood pressure.”

If you have other questions or concerns:

n Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

n Write questions down ahead of time andbring them to your appointment.

By asking questions now, you may preventproblems later.

Get the facts about yourmedicine.

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Questions to ask before you takeyour medicine:

1. Why am I taking this medicine? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What are the brand name and generic* name of this medicine?_________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Can I take a generic version of this medicine?____________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Does this new prescription mean I should stop taking other medicines? ____________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. How much of the medicine should I take and how often do I take it? If I need to take it three times a day, does that mean at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or every 8 hours? Do I need to wake up in the middle of the night to take it? _________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

*Learn more about generic medicine. See page 14.

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6. Do I need to take it all or should I stop when I feel better? ____________________

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7. How long will I take it? Can I get a refill? How often can I get a refill? ____________

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8. How should I store my medication? Do I need to keep it in the refrigerator? _______

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9. Are there any tests I need while I’m on this medicine?____________________________

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10. When should the medicine start working? How can I tell if it’s working?___________

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11. Are there foods, drinks (including alcohol), other medicines, or activities to avoid while I’m taking this medicine?_______________

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12. What are the side effects? When should I tell the doctor about a problem or side effect?

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13. What should I do if I have a side effect?

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14. What happens if I miss a dose? __________

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15. What printed information can you give me about this medicine?___________________

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Tips:4 Write your questions down ahead of

time. Keep a list of questions you wantto ask your health care team. Take thelist to your appointment.

4 Be sure to write down what yourhealth care team tells you about yourmedicine so you remember later.

4 Bring a friend or family member withyou when you visit the doctor. Talkingover what to do with someone youtrust can help you make betterdecisions.

4 Try to use the same pharmacy so allyour prescription records will be inone place.

4 Read and save the information thatcomes with your medicine. It’s oftenstapled to the bag from the pharmacy.

4 Keep a list of all the medicines,vitamins, and dietary supplements orherbs you take. Add new medicines tothe list when you start takingsomething new or when a dosechanges. Show the list to your doctorand the pharmacist. Use the walletcard at the back of this booklet.

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4 Make a copy of your list. Keep onecopy and give the other to a familymember or friend.

4 Store all medicines together in onedesignated location in a dry and coolplace. The kitchen and the bathroomare bad places to store medicinebecause of heat and moisture.

4 Make sure medicine does not freeze ifyou store it in the refrigerator.

4 Throw away any medicine that hasexpired or that your doctor hasdiscontinued. (Ask your doctor orpharmacist for advice on how to throwaway your specific medication.)

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Stay with your treatmentplan.

Now that you have the right medicine, you’llwant to carry out the treatment plan. That’snot always easy. Medicines may cause sideeffects. Or you may feel better and want tostop before finishing your medicines.

n Take all the antibiotics you wereprescribed. If you are taking an antibioticto fight an infection, it is very important totake all of your medicine for as long as yourdoctor prescribed even if you feel better. Ifyou don’t finish, the infection could comeback and be harder to treat.

n Ask your doctor if your prescriptionneeds to be refilled. If you take medicinefor high blood pressure or to lower yourcholesterol, you may need your medicinefor a long time.

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“I want to make sure all my medicines are OK. So, once a year I call the pharmacist and make anappointment for her to check everything I take. I putall my medicines and vitamins in a bag. I even putin nonprescription medicines like antacids, painrelievers, and laxatives.”

How can I keep track of my medicines?Many products can help remind you to take yourmedicine on time and keep track of how much totake. There are containers you can fill with yourpills for each day of the week, calendars to checkoff, and even products that fit on top of a pillbottle. Ask your pharmacist for help finding theright product for you.

n If you are having side effects or otherconcerns, tell your doctor. You may be ableto take a different amount or type ofmedicine.

n Your medicine was prescribed only for you.Never give your prescription medicine toanyone else or take prescription medicinethat wasn’t prescribed for you, even if youhave the same medical condition.

n Ask whether you need blood tests, x-rays,or other tests to find out if the medicine isworking, if it’s causing any problems, and ifyou need a different medicine. Ask yourdoctor to tell you what the tests showed.

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Tips:n You can get help:

4 At work, there may be a nurse on site.

4 At school, a nurse may be availableto help your child take medicineson time and safely.

4 At home, a visiting nurse may beable to help.

Friends and family can help by:

n Going with you to the doctor. Askthem to write down information aboutyour medicines and treatment plan.

n Picking up your medicine. Have themshow the pharmacist your list ofmedicines, vitamins, and supplements.They should ask, “Will this newmedicine work safely with the othermedicines?”

n Calling regularly to remind you totake your medicine on time. If youhave problems, let them know.

n Keeping a daily record of medicineyou take and the time of day so youwon’t take it twice.

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Use the wallet card at the back of this bookletto keep track of your medicines, vitamins,herbs, and other dietary supplements.

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Keep a record of yourmedicines.

What is a generic medicine?Generic drugs are safe, effective, andapproved by the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA). They have the samedosage, safety, quality, performance, andstrength as brand name drugs. The color orflavor of a generic medicine may be different,but the active ingredient is the same.

After the patent runs out on a brand namedrug, companies can apply to the FDA tomake a generic copy of that drug. Genericdrugs usually cost less than brand name drugs.

For more informationTo learn about specific medicines go towww.medlineplus.gov and click on “Drugs &Supplements.” If you don’t have Internetaccess, go to your local library for help.

The Agency for Healthcare Research andQuality (AHRQ) has booklets aboutpreventing, diagnosing, and treating commonhealth conditions. For a list of topics, visitwww.ahrq.gov/consumer.

Keep this booklet with your medicines in caseyou have any questions, concerns, or worries.

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List Your Doctors and PharmacistsHere:

Doctor _________________________________

Contact information ______________________

Doctor _________________________________

Contact information ______________________

Doctor _________________________________

Contact information ______________________

Doctor _________________________________

Contact information ______________________

Doctor _________________________________

Contact information ______________________

Nurse __________________________________

Contact information ______________________

Pharmacist ______________________________

Phone number___________________________

24-hour Pharmacy _______________________

Phone number___________________________

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Notes

Tear Here

www.talkaboutrx.org

AHRQ Pub. No. 11-0049-A(Replaces AHRQ Pub. No. 03-0019)April 2011

Medicine Wallet Card

Show this card to your doctor orpharmacist. To print more copies, visitwww.ahrq.gov and type “YourMedicine” in the search box.

My name________________________

Contact information ______________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Nonprescription medicines

Cold or cough medicinesAspirin or other pain relieversAllergy relief medicinesAntacidsSleeping pillsLaxativesDiet pillsOther _________________________

Medicines I should not take because ofbad reactions or allergies __________

________________________________

Vitamins, herbals, and supplements

Vitamins (type)_________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Glucosamine chondroitin

St. John’s wort

Ginkgo biloba

Ginseng

Other ________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

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Prescription Medicines

Name and Color What it is how much formedicine(example) Tetracycline Respiratory250 mg White infection

Blood type ______________________

Medical condition(s) ______________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

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Emergency Contact

Name___________________________

Home phone ____________________

Work phone _____________________

Cell phone ______________________

Date How much Do notbegan to take take withtaking and when

1 tablet4 times a day Antacids9 a.m., 1 p.m., or dairy

2/8/2011 5 p.m., 9 p.m. products

Fold Here

Fold Here

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