Talk with your health care provider before starting any new prescription, OTC medicine, or supplement, and ensure that your provider knows everything else you are taking. Discuss any allergies or problems you have experienced with other medicines. These might include rashes, trouble breathing, indigestion, dizziness, or mood changes. Make sure your doctor and pharmacist have an up-to-date list of your allergies so they don’t give you a medicine that contains something that could cause an allergic reaction. other information, including when the medicine should be reviewed or monitored, and any support the resident needs to carry on taking the medicine (adherence support) For instance, in 2016 a group of scientists from France published an article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in which they summarized the results of their clinical trial on patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (cancer of large bowel in the IV stage of the disease – with metastases). The group that was treated with an individually adjusted dose of fluorouracil (antimetabolite drug used in the treatment of many cancers, including colon cancer) had a better response to the therapy, a higher survival rate and a lower grade of toxicity, than those treated with standard doses.

Ask your loved ones for help. Take a friend or relative with you to your doctor’s appointments if you think you may need help understanding or remembering what the doctor tells you. The establishment of the calendar and the invention of writing marked the dawn of recorded history. The clues to early knowledge are few, consisting only of clay tablets bearing cuneiform signs and seals that were used by physicians of ancient Mesopotamia. In the Louvre Museum in France, a stone pillar is preserved on which is inscribed the Code of Hammurabi, who was a Babylonian king of the 18th century bce. This code includes laws relating to the practice of medicine, and the penalties for failure were severe. For example, “If the doctor, in opening an abscess, shall kill the patient, his hands shall be cut off”; if, however, the patient was a slave, the doctor was simply obliged to supply another slave. When treating a patient, or just taking a medication by yourself, we always need to wonder what is the exact dose of the drug we choose. And the truth is that we dose (or should dose) nearly everything in our life, from cooking dinner to taking medications! However, regarding drugs, there are certain different kinds of dosing that depend on the specific drug and/or the patient. Dietary supplements are not considered drugs because they are not intended to prevent or treat diseases. Rather, these products are intended to maintain or improve health, and they may help you meet your daily requirements for essential vitamins and minerals. For example, calcium and vitamin D can help build strong bones. Learn more about taking supplements safely in the NIA article, Dietary Supplements for Older Adults. Taking many medications can also increase the risk for side effects and other unintended problems. Researchers are studying deprescribing, an approach to safely reduce or stop medications that are potentially inappropriate or unnecessary. Read how NIA supports research on polypharmacy and deprescribing to help ensure older adults take only those medicines they need to help them live full, healthy lives.date and time the last dose of any 'when required' medicine was taken or any medicine given less often than once a day (weekly or monthly medicines) Should I take the medicine with food or not? Is there anything I should not eat or drink when taking this medicine?

what the resident (and/or their family members or carers, as appropriate and in line with the resident's wishes) thinks about the medicines and how much they understand The dose of the drug depends on the weight of the patient. It means that two patients with the same disease may receive a different amount of the same drug! This sentence still holds today. We know that every substance, especially drugs, may be toxic if given in an inappropriate dose. An example of a well known but potentially toxic substance is Tylenol ( paracetamol). This is why we should perform our dosage calculations carefully and accurately. This is especially critical when administering drugs to children, as a slight mistake in the dose may cause a significant change in the effect of its action. The usage of a pediatric dose calculator seems to be a responsible choice that reduces the risk of a mistake! Care home staff giving non-prescription and over-the-counter products to residents (homely remedies) history of medicine, the development of the prevention and treatment of disease from prehistoric and ancient times to the 21st century. Medicine and surgery before 1800 Early medicine and folklorePeople have the right to be involved in discussions and make informed decisions about their care, as described in NICE's information on making decisions about your care. Contemporary scientists are also looking at the issue of drug dosage. There are plenty of ongoing clinical trials in which different doses of the drugs are being compared. Moreover, there are more and more scientific data suggesting that individually performed dosage calculations (not only in pediatric patients) improve patient survival when compared with a standard treatment of fixed doses. Make a list. Write down all medicines you take, including OTC drugs. Also include any vitamins or dietary supplements. The list should include the name of each medicine or supplement, the amount you take, and time(s) you take it. If it’s a prescription drug, also note the doctor who prescribed it and the reason it was prescribed. Show the list to all your health care providers, including physical therapists and dentists. Keep one copy in a safe place at home and one in your wallet or purse.

Reach for Medicine in a Day when you need to study efficiently, prepare for medical exams, or refresh your memory at any stage of your career. Tell your doctor about alcohol, tobacco, and drug use. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can affect how well your medicines work. Be honest with your doctor about how much you use. Create a file. Save all the written information that comes with your medicines and keep it somewhere you can easily refer to it. Keep these guides for as long as you’re taking the medication. any problems the resident has with the medicines, such as side effects or reactions, taking the medicines themselves (for example, using an inhaler) and difficulty swallowingAsk your pharmacist if there is a patient profile you can fill out, so the pharmacy is aware of all drugs and OTC medications, vitamins, and supplements you take. erythrocyte sedimentation rate (a type of blood test used to help diagnose conditions associated with inflammation) using the correct equipment depending on the formulation (for example, using oral syringes for small doses of liquid medicines)

Making decisions using NICE guidelines explains how we use words to show the strength (or certainty) of our recommendations, and has information about prescribing medicines (including off-label use), professional guidelines, standards and laws (including on consent and mental capacity), and safeguarding. Before you start a new medicine, your doctor or pharmacist can provide important information and answer any questions. Drugs with one fix dosage are the easiest to use; you just take it and forget about it (e.g., vaccines). You don't need to use any dosage calculation formulas!In this case, the doctor usually suggests the patient a sample dosage; the patient then modifies it according to his/her needs and the situation (e.g., insulin). Tell the pharmacist if you have trouble swallowing pills. There may be liquid medicine available. Do not chew, break, or crush tablets without first asking if this will change the way the drug works. Unwanted or unexpected symptoms or feelings that occur when you take medicine are called side effects. Side effects can be relatively minor, such as a headache or a dry mouth. They can also be life-threatening, such as severe bleeding or damage to the liver or kidneys. The side effects of some medications can also affect your driving. Medicine in a Day: Revision Notes for Medical Exams, Finals, UKMLA and Foundation Years covers all conditions in the UK Medical Licensing Assessment and more, within just one book! Prepared by a unique combination of authors - including early career stage doctors still close to what is required for exam success, expert educators and senior specialists - Medicine in a Day provides the trusted information you need most when time is short. Each chapter can be read in an hour, covering the medical and surgical specialties, Radiology, Anaesthetics and Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Psychiatry, Infectious Diseases, Clinical Epidemiology, commonly prescribed medications and more. The essential knowledge for each topic is presented simply and concisely, supported by bespoke illustrations. A large, carefully selected image collection reflects the views most commonly seen in exams, and includes X-rays, ECGs, CTs and clinical photographs, with dermatological conditions shown for diverse skin tones. You will also want to find out whether you’ll need to change or stop taking any of your other prescriptions, OTC medicines, or supplements while using this new medicine. Mixing a new drug with medicines or supplements you are already taking might cause unpleasant and sometimes serious problems. For example, mixing a drug you take to help you sleep (a sedative) and a drug you take for allergies (an antihistamine) can slow your reactions and make driving a car or operating machinery dangerous.