Before Leaving the Doctor’s Office, Expect Medication Information
It was double trouble for a patient when she and her doctor both made errors and it led to a 4-fold overdose of an antidepressant medication, CELEXA (citalopram Hydrobromide). The patient was starting this medication for the first time and after three days she began to experience severe anxiety, agitation, nausea, and severe fatigue. She called her doctor about her symptoms. The error was identified when they reviewed the medication together and realized what was causing the problem – a medication error.
Learn MoreAllergies to “nonmedicinal ingredients” in medicines
Consumers sometimes have allergies to certain medicines. In some cases, the allergy may not be related to the medicinal ingredient in the medicine. Instead, it may involve one of the other ingredients in the medicine, such as a preservative or a dye. These are called “nonmedicinal ingredients.”
Learn MoreGreat catch with newborn’s medicine
After nearly 2 weeks in a neonatal intensive care unit, a newborn baby was discharged to home with a prescription for liquid phenobarbital (20 mg per 5 mL) twice a day to prevent seizures. Before leaving the hospital, the baby’s doctor reviewed the prescription with the parents. He made sure the parents knew the baby’s dose (6.5 mg) and how much of the liquid medicine to give the baby for each dose (1.6 mL).
Learn MoreToddler landed in the hospital after bottle adapter interfered with child-resistant cap
A toddler was admitted to the hospital after taking an overdose of Quillivant XR (methylphenidate). This medicine is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It had been prescribed for the toddler's older brother.
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Good catch! A mother picking up a prescription for her son was supposed to receive methylphenidate for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Instead she was given a cardiac drug intended for another patient. The mother noticed the error because the pharmacist mentioned the medicine was for “chest pains.” It turned out that the two patients had the same name. Before leaving the pharmacy with your prescription, always make sure to verify your name and another identifier, such as your date of birth or address. It’s also important for pharmacists to provide drug information when you pick up your prescriptions. After all, that’s how this error was prevented.
