Polypharmacy and managing several medications

Principles Patients and Health Providers should review during medication use:

1. Listen with compassion, discussion to patient’s results and provider’s (pharmacist, doctor, nurse) recommendations
2. Check for interactions with what person is taking, including medication, non-prescription drugs, supplements like vitamins, minerals, herbal treatment and others. Discuss with doctor if anything found
3. Check dosage is appropriate and discuss with doctor (example blood pressure medication)
4. Assess patient issues and relation to possible side effects (example cough with use of ACE inhibitors in certain patients)
5. Patient understands how to use medication, demonstrate for them (example puffers, injections, pre/post instructions for medication use)