The Importance of Taking Your Medications as Prescribed
Blue Daily
| 4 min read
Medications are important for managing health conditions, preventingcomplications and improving overall well-being. Taking medications as prescribed, called medication adherence, is crucial for the best health outcomes.
Managing medications can be difficult, and you may have concerns about what to do if you miss a dose, whether you can take drugs with other medications, uncomfortable side effects and drug prices.
Here’s what to know about medication adherence, how to address medications with your health care providers and how to stay in your medication routine.
The importance of taking medications as prescribed
Medication nonadherence may contribute to nearly 25% of hospital admissions, 50% of treatment failures and about 125,000 annual deaths in the United States, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Rising drug prices are another reason people may skip doses. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 8% of Americans reported not taking a medication because of cost.
People may also skip doses or medications because of poor communication with their health care providers, complexities in their medications and not believing the medication is necessary.
But regularly skipping doses can be harmful, especially depending on the conditions for which they’re prescribed. Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart issues and other medical conditions require routine medications to avoid complications. Similarly, some medications for behavioral health conditions require that medications be taken on a regular schedule to prevent worsening of symptoms such as depression or anxiety.
If you are struggling with medication adherence, ask your health care providers the reasons why you are taking a medication and if they can work with you to create an effective routine.
What to know about side effects
Side effects are another reason people may not want to take their medications. It’s important for providers and patients to discuss how prescribed medication may cause side effects. Depending on the drug, the effects can range from mild to severe and include dizziness, nausea and vomiting, as well as low or high blood pressure. Skipping or forgetting doses can increase the risk of some side effects.
While side effects can be uncomfortable, unmanaged health conditions can lead to long-term complications. For example, uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes can lead to nerve, kidney and eye damage, and uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.
Talk with your medical providers about your medications, side effects and concerns. When prescribing medications, your health care provider weighs potential side effects against the benefits you receive from the medication; working with your doctor to minimize or prevent any short- or long-term side effects from medications is important.
Ask your health care team members to communicate with each other so everyone is on the same page about the medications and possible interactions. Ask plenty of questions; your doctors are here for you to make sure you are as healthy as possible.
How to take your medications as prescribed
Aside from talking to your health care team, there are simple ways you can create habits and routines at home. Here are four tips to try:
- Get a pillbox. Rather than having to remember to take your medications from multiple bottles over the course of the day, set up a pillbox for your medications. You can fill it up once a week or once a month.
- Set reminders. Use a calendar, a reminder app on your smartphone or other alarm to remind you to take your pills.
- See if the medication manufacturers have discount programs or check with your pharmacy to see if they have a discount program that can help with the cost of medications. Your prescriber may also recommend generic medications, which work just as well as name-brand medications but cost less.
- Put your medications next to something you use regularly, such as your coffee maker or toothbrush. That way, it’s regularly in sight as a reminder to take it.
- Additionally, see your primary care provider (PCP) for an annual physical and recommended screenings, including blood sugar or cholesterol. Talk to your PCP or your neighborhood pharmacist about ways to make getting your prescriptions easier, including switching to a 90-day supply, Optum Rx’s mail order pharmacy or having medications delivered.
Creating habits to prevent missing doses will help you feel your best and maximize your emotional and physical health for years to come.
Image: Getty Images
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