We are all familiar with the concept of spring cleaning. If you grew up in the 80s in a South African home like me, then you remember that period at the beginning of each school holiday, where the house had to be cleaned from top to bottom. Including those never used cups and plates in the room divider. Spring cleaning should not only be limited to your house and cupboards but should extend to you medication cabinet and you medication list.
Medication review process
Think of the medication review process as spring cleaning of your medication list. During the medication review process your Pharmacist will look at all your medications: prescribed medications, over the counter medicines and vitamins and herbal preparations you may be using.
Your full medical history will be taken, to fully understand your specific medication needs. Working with you and your healthcare providers the Pharmacist will identify potential medication problems, duplicate medicines, and unnecessary medications you may be using.
Why the need to review?
People living and managing chronic health conditions often seek help from different healthcare providers. The specialist you see for your diabetes often has no way of knowing what your other doctors have prescribed for you. In addition to using different providers, individuals often collect their medications at different pharmacies or have their medications delivered to them. The review process allows for a consolidation of all medications to ensure safety.
The use of supplements is common among those managing a chronic health condition. Supplements are often recommended by friends, family, and health providers. Research has shown that only 25% of people mention the use of supplements when consulting with healthcare providers.
Majority of supplements are marketed as natural, with no side effects hence the belief that they are not medicines. Some vitamins can interfere with your medication ,an example of such is vitamin K and warfarin. Herbal ingredients contained in supplements can affect how your prescribed medicines work.
Benefits of having your medication reviewed.
Research has shown that the more medications one takes, the more likely you are to experience side effects and adverse reactions which may result in hospitalisation. Individuals on complicated medication combinations struggle with adherence. Thus they do not benefit fully from treatment. Adherence is a term used to describe how well one takes their prescribed medication.
The use of unnecessary medications is also costly for both the individuals and the healthcare system. The medication review process will improve safety of your medications, reduce side effects and hospitalisation, and more importantly save you money.
| Side effects | Adverse reactions |
| Symptoms one may experience from medication. They are predictable e.g. drowsiness with allergy medication | Harmful reaction to medication at normal doses, may result in hospitalization. |
Useful tips
- In medicine less is always more.