Each time a decision is made to start treating a condition with a drug, another decision must be made about whether the drug is worth the possible consequences. Side effects vary depending on many factors. Consider the comparison to exercise. Without question, exercise is beneficial to the majority of people who regularly do it. Exercise improves heart health, circulation, strength, and helps with weight management. Each person who decides to exercise likely also considers the risk of injury, sore muscles, or a feeling of fatigue. Individuals who suffer from arthritis of the knees experience extreme pain with many types of exercise. When the benefit appears to be greater than the risks, the individual is more likely to exercise. If the risks are too high, the logical solution is to do another form of exercise or nothing at all.
As with exercise, decisions to take medication have the potential for negative consequences. As a team, the patient, physician, and pharmacist must decide on the most beneficial option with the least possible negative effects.
Delayed payoff for a drug:
Drugs are sometimes used to prevent conditions that may occur many years from the date they are initiated. For example, blood pressure medication can decrease the risk of debilitating heart conditions, stroke, or death ten years down the road. The payoff for using the drug is a long time away, yet the side effects happen immediately. For most medications in the long term, side effects such as dizziness subside after a few days on the drug. Prevention of a debilitating condition such as a heart attack or stroke may be worth the temporary discomfort of dizziness. For others who may fall and break a hip, this sacrifice is too great and alternative solutions should be sought.
Rare but serious Side Effects:
Many risks associated with taking medication are very rare, but may be serious. If one person in a million experiences kidney failure from a drug, the decision to take that drug should include an evaluation of that fact next to the possible benefit to the individual patient of taking the drug. Your doctor likely evaluates this information before prescribing the drug. Your pharmacist double-checks to be sure there are no overlooked details the doctor does not have. Each time a person takes a drug, this information is also available to the patient. As the most important person on the team, the patient should participate by reviewing potential side effects and asking about any concerns.
The following questions are essential to the process of deciding if a medication is right for you:
- What is the drug name and what does it do?
- What benefit or improvement will this medication offer?
- How often, how long, and what time should I take the medication?
- How long will it take to see improvements from this medicine and when should I discontinue it?
- What sacrifices will I have to make while taking the medication?
- Are there recommended limitations with alcohol, food, or activities while taking the drug?
- What are the most common side effects of the drug?
- What are the rare but possibly serious side effects?
These questions are important to the success of your treatment. Your pharmacist is trained to answer these questions and help you evaluate your decision to take the drug. Walking away from the pharmacy without this information limits your ability to successfully reach the goals of treatment and reduces the possibility of a favorable outcome. Ask your doctor or pharmacist any time you have a question about the medication you will be taking. It is worth your time and effort to learn.
Many times questions arise about your medications. When you are in the doctors office or the pharmacy, it is easy to forget to ask them. If you write down a list of questions before you arrive, you will be prepared to ask them when you get there. We appreciate your questions. It is our responsibility to keep you informed about your treatment. Please do not hesitate to bring your list.
Written By: Michelle Herbert Thomas
