Q: What are some effective practices for taking daily medications?
A: The decision to start medication is not one that should be taken lightly. Once a prescriber and a patient have made the decision to start medication therapy, it is important to ensure that the medication is taken correctly in order to determine whether or not the treatment is effective. Appropriate administration of medication is something that is specific to each medication.
A good reference for medication information comes with your medication in the form of a patient package insert. This is the sheet of paper that will often come with your medication bottles. It contains a multitude of information for your specific medication, especially appropriate administration of medication. Your pharmacist is also a great resource for additional insight into your medications and is also a vital part of your health care team.
The timing of taking your medication is an important aspect to ensure appropriate treatment is received. Daily medication should be taken roughly at the same time of day every day. There are certain medications that need to be taken at nearly the same minute every day, so be sure to discuss this with your doctor.
Medications that are taken multiple times per day should have even spacing between each dose, such as every 12 hours, unless otherwise discussed during prescribing. If you have multiple medications that are due at the same time, it is generally okay to take them at the same time as long as their administration instructions do not conflict with each other. It is recommended to take each individual tablet on its own with plenty of water in between to ensure all medication is taken safely.
Dr. C. Taylor Millirons specializes in family medicine at Erlanger Primary Care – Marion County and is a member of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society.