Medication guidelines
The following are basic guidelines for taking prescription and nonprescription medications:
- Use medications only if nondrug approaches are not working.
- Know the benefits and side effects of a medication before taking it.
- Take the minimum effective dose.
- Never take a drug prescribed for someone else.
- Follow the prescription instructions exactly or let your doctor know why you didn't.
- Keep medications tightly capped in their original containers, and store them as directed.
- Do not take medications in front of small children. Children are great mimics. Don't oversell the "candy" taste of children's medicines or leave children's vitamins within their reach.
- Add a consumer's guide to medications to your home health library.
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS | Last Updated: May 1, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine | |
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