Protect Yourself From Medication Errors (NAPSA)—Did you know that almost half of Americans take at least one prescription medication each day? And that more than a quarter take multiple prescription medications daily? A new study by the American Society of HealthSystem Pharmacists (ASHP) offers a tantalizing look at how many prescription and non-prescription drugs consumers take each week. Taking multiple medications can be problematic because it raises the risk of drug interactions and exposes patients to the possibility of medication error. Drug dispensing mistakes can cecur for a variety of reasons including: Tegible bandwriting by the prescriber, * Misinterpreted abbreviations, or * Confusion caused by drug products that look alike or sound alike. Fortunately, there is a Web site that makes it easy to find comprehensive, easy-to-understand information on more than 700 drugs. safemedication.com offers infor- Look for helpful information on your medicine by checking out wwiw.safemedication.com. “Because today’s medicines are so complex and powerful, patients need reliable, easy-to-use resources more than ever. Who better to provide that information than pharmacists who work in hospitais and health systems?” said Society President Mick L. Hunt, M.S., FASHP. “Having access to Safemedication.com pro- vides patients with much-needed peace of mind.” ASHP is the 30,600-member seribed, haw they should be used, national professional association that represents pharmacists who practice in hospitals, health signs of adverse drug reactions, special precautions and dietary other components of health-care mation on why medicines are pre- potential side effects, warning and storage instructions, and information on what to doifa dose is missed. The Web site also provides timely health and medication news and tips to prevent medication errors aod antibiotic resistance. maintenance organizations, longterm care facilities, homecare and systems. For more information on health-system pharmacists’ role in the safe and effective use of medicine, check out the Web sites at www.safemedicatian.com, or www.ashp.org.
