Health We should also check our prescription accuracy each time we pick up a new supply. Last year, when attending my doctor’s clinic, another physician saw me and provided me with a repeat prescription for a daily medication. Upon filling the prescription, I noted that the pill looked slightly different from my usual 20 mg. one. Checking the label, I noted that the pill was 80 mg. ‒ four times the potency of my proper dose. Returning to the pharmacist, I was shown the original faxed improper prescription revealing the doctor’s serious mistake. As a coroner, I once held an inquest into the unexpected death of a woman who had been dispensed a strong medication used to lower blood pressure, which had caused her death. Investigation showed that the pharmacist hadmistaken the handwriting on the doctor’s prescription and, instead of the mild anxiety drug prescribed, had dispensed the potent blood pressure medication with a very similar name. More recently, there was another coroner’s investigation into the sudden death of a young boy as a result of a pharmacist’s error where the wrong drug was dispensed. Many snowbirds who travel to the southwest border states with Mexico cross the border to purchase cheaper drugs without the need for a prescription. Although few incidents are reported, the more stringent regulations regarding production and distribution are lacking and there can be no assurance of quality or the exact potency of such over-the-counter purchases. It is always wise to purchase your medications at home using a single pharmacist where your list of drugs is known and potential side-affects when using multiple drugs are often identified by the pharmacist, especially when there is more than one doctor treating you. Always keep a written list of your medications in your wallet or purse, especially when travelling. Drugs, whether prescribed or over-the-counter, can make us healthier and often allow us to improve the quality and longevity of our lives. Nevertheless, there is general agreement that we are enticed into numerous overthe-counter and health product “remedies,” which are often erroneously purported to prevent and treat almost every condition. In addition, the over-prescribing by some physicians has become of increasing concern. Studies show that this often affects seniors the most. Be mindful of the drugs which you take, using the internet to learn for yourself the uses and potential ill effects of your med. Talk to your pharmacist when you get a new prescription and review with your doctor whether the drug which you have been taking has a greater risk of causing you harm than doing you good. Older persons should not be prescribed tranquilizers and mood-altering drugs unless absolutely necessary, and then only for a short time. Keep up with the reported safety and potential harm of the drugs that you take. Some drugs are withdrawn each year for discovered dangers with their administration. Drugs that have been advocated as beneficial in the past have often been taken by individuals for years, even though further research and studies reveal lack of evidence of usefulness in certain groups of persons. The benefits of many lab tests, procedures, medical and surgical treatments are also being reassessed. A popular source for such decision-making is the highly acclaimed Choosing Wisely Program used by patients (along with their doctor) which helps decide the most appropriate management for each patient. See their website at www.choosingwiselycanada.org. Always discuss with your own physician what drugs you take, including non-prescription products, and what drugs you might start or stop. The recent medical evidence that no benefit could be shown for those over the age of 70 with no known heart, stroke or vascular conditions taking statin drugs (e.g. Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor) and/or Aspirin, prompted me to seek my doctor’s counsel. After a thorough discussion regarding benefits and risks, and with his advice, I have stopped my Lipitor and Aspirin. Next visit you have with your doctor, take the time to review your medications to confirm that they are necessary and not likely to lead to adverse interaction or significant risks. publically funded drug plans in Canada spent an estimated $419 million on inappropriate prescriptions 36 | www.snowbirds.org
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