Wise Use of Prescription Medications

Did you know that inappropriate use of medications is among the top 10 causes of death in the United States? We didn’t either until we heard yesterday’s presentation on “Wise Use of Medication” at the Meet the Pharmacist & Senior Health Fair in National City.

Done is quiz form, Maxine Fischer, manager for state operations for AARP, delivered a strong “dose of prescription drug reality” by asking how well seniors in attendance know their prescription drugs. We thought we’d pose some of the questions to you too.

1. How many prescription drugs does the average person age 45 and older take every day?

a) One

b) Four

c) Six

2. What percent of adults 65+ skip does or do not fill prescriptions because of cost?

a) 10%

b) 25%

c) 50%

3. What should you do if you forget to take a medication dose?

a) Consult your doctor or pharmacist

          b) Take your medication as soon as you remember

c) Wait for your next scheduled dose

d) Double your next scheduled dose

4. Which is not a safe way to dispose of old medication?

a) Take it back to the pharmacist

b) Toss it in the garbage or flush it in the toilet

c) Crush the drugs, mix them with used coffee grounds or kitty litter and put in a can or sealable bag before tossing

d) Bring meds to community drug disposal, solid waste or pharmaceutical take-back program

5. Where should you store your medicine?

a) In the medicine cabinet, of course

          b) In your safety deposit box

c) In a cool, dark, dry, safe place

d) In the refrigerator

Answers: 1.) B 2.) B 3.) A 4.) B, you don’t want old medications getting into the water system. 5.) C, medications actually disintegrate from the moisture produced in bathrooms so medicine cabinets are a poor storage choice.