Understanding Dangerous Drug Side Effects

May 2008

Medications come with a multitude of warnings about their side effects. It may make some wonder which is more dangerous – the drug or the disease. Experts are offering tips on how to best evaluate the potential risks and side effects associated with your medication.

Pharmacists agree that a patient's most powerful tool is information. Therefore, they encourage patients to ask their doctors and pharmacists about the risks associated with a drug and its adverse side effects. Experts say that if a doctor does not sufficiently answer questions, patients should not hesitate to ask a pharmacist, as they sometimes have more information.

It is also important for patients to understand how to recognize unwanted side effects of drugs. Pharmacists warn that patients should be particularly observant of side effects such as dizziness, impaired cognitive function, and impaired vision because all three can be fatal if they occur while a patient is driving. Another recommendation for protecting health safety is to use a single pharmacy, so that dangerous interactions between prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications can be easily monitored.