Why is it important for a patient to know how to read a prescription label?
Understanding how to read a prescription label is very important to your health.
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It's very important for a patient to know how to read their prescription label. A lot of medication errors occur because patients may get into a habit of taking their medicines without reading everything that's on the label, so it's always a good practice to get into looking at your prescription label every time you're about to take one of your medicines to make sure that that medicine is for you, that your name is on it, that you're supposed to be taking it rather than a family member. That the correct doctor's name is on it. That all of your personal information and your doctor's office information is correct on it. Perhaps most important is that the directions for the medication are read every time you take it. If you're supposed to take that medicine one tablet daily, you want to make sure that that medication label says that on it and that you follow the instructions. You also want to make sure that the medication isn't expired. Over time, medications can break down and become less effective, so if you're taking a medication that's expired, it may not be as effective, so you want to make sure that you're always up-to-date on your refills. And, speaking of refills, it's really important to look at that refill with the number next to it. Once you get down to zero, that's your hint to give your doctor's office a call and make sure you schedule an appointment to make sure that you don't run out of that medicine – especially for somebody with chronic diseases, who has to take a medicine every day, such as diabetes, hypertension, or high blood pressure, you want to make sure that you have enough of that medication so you don't run out and then you're kind of scrambling to play catch up.
Reading the label correctly can help patients make sure they are taking the right amount of the medicine and that it won’t negatively react with other medications, foods or drinks, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The label on your prescription medication, according to the HHS, provides you information including:
- Description of the medication – many pharmacies have started adding a description of what the pills look to the label, just as an extra safety net that you have the correct medication
- Dosage – tells how much of the medicine to take, how many times a day to take it, and how many days to take it
- Drug interactions – some medications have bad reactions with other medicines, some foods and drinks, including alcohol; other medications require you take them with a meal
- Expiration date – the medication is not effective after this date
- How often and how long to take the drugs – for example, three times daily for 10 days
- Reactions to the drug – some medications can make you tired, dizzy, nauseous or have other side effects
- Your name – make sure you received medication meant for you
Other information, that might be included on a prescription label includes – your physician’s name, a prescription number for the pharmacy’s use, the number of refills available and the date the prescription was filled, according to the HHS.
For more information about why reading your prescript label correctly is important, talk with your physician.
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Source: Joseph Allen, MD, Family Medicine of Vandalia; Christopher Aviles, MD, Beavercreek Family Physicians; Michael Dulan, MD, Dulan and Moore Dulan Family Wellness Center; Aleda Johnson, MD, Liberty Family Medicine; Josh Ordway, MD, Franklin Family Practice; Joseph Leithold, MD, Woodcroft Family Practice; Melinda Ruff, MD, Centerville Family Medicine; Anessa Alappatt, MD, Fairborn Medical Center; Jennifer Romaker, NP-C, Fairfield Road Physician Offices
