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How to Stay on Top of Your Medications
More than half of American adults take a prescription drug to manage a health condition. If you’re one of them, you know managing your meds can be a lot. These simple strategies can help you keep up.
“Take as directed.” These three little words on your medicine bottles sound simple enough. But the brief phrase is actually a reminder to keep reading — and to pay close attention while you’re at it.
The reason: Every prescription drug comes with its own set of instructions. And following them closely — something experts call medication adherence — is key to getting the most benefit from your drugs. Just as important, it lowers the risk of negative side effects.
You can experience both short-term and long-term effects of not taking your medication as directed. Let’s take high blood pressure as an example. Miss one dose of your medication and you might feel dizzy or even a little “high.” Keep missing doses and your odds of having a heart attack or stroke jump up.
Other drugs have side effects that call for lifestyle changes. “Some medications cause sun sensitization reactions,” says Sahar Swidan, PharmD. Dr. Swidan is an adjunct associate professor at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. As a result, you might be directed to stay out of the sun. “Some cause nutrient deficiencies. For example, metformin can lower the level of B vitamin. So sometimes supplementing can be helpful.”
The bottom line: Health care providers prescribe medications with the goal of keeping you healthy. And following the prescribed regimen is an essential part of that process. Here’s what you need to know and some tips to help you stick with any treatment plan.
The three keys of medication adherence
When your provider or pharmacist tells you to follow the instructions on your drug label, they really want you to pay attention to three important things:
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Dosage. This is the exact amount to take. It’s based on many years of scientific research and determined by the expertise of your health care provider. Taking the directed dose ensures that your body takes in the best level of medication to get the desired results.
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Frequency. This is how often you take the drug. For example, taking a pill twice daily. Also look for any directions about how many hours apart you should take your pills. One of your medications may say to wait six hours between doses. Another may say to wait as many as 24 hours.
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Administration guidelines. These offer more detail on how you should take your medication. They might direct you to chew a pill, swallow it whole, take it with or without food, and so on. If your medication is topical, they might tell you where to put it and when. Following these steps ensures that the medication is absorbed, metabolized, and distributed effectively within your body. It can also help you steer clear of unwanted side effects like nausea or drowsiness.
Now for the good news: Each of these factors will be addressed as needed in the directions. And it’s often with a short and simple phrase like “Take one pill with food, once a day, for 10 days.” Do what the label says, and you’ve checked all three of the above boxes.
Tricks for sticking to your medication routine
Struggle to remember to take your meds? You’re not alone. Research suggests more than 60% of people said the same thing. Fortunately, there are plenty of tools and tricks that can help you stay on track.
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Use a smartphone app like the Blue KC Care Management app that comes with your plan. It lets you set automatic reminders to take your medications. Plus, you can record your progress with a personal health goal tracker.
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Keep your medications in a visible place. Try putting them next to things that are already part of your daily routine, like your coffee pot or toothbrush.
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Sort them into a pill organizer that has the days of the weeks or even times of day.
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Post reminders on sticky notes. Put them at eye level on your bathroom mirror or fridge door so you won’t miss them as you go through your day.
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Take your meds at the same time of day you give your pet a treat. If you forget, they’ll be sure to remind you.
When in doubt, ask
If the directions aren’t clear to you, or if you can’t follow them, talk to your doctor. Pharmacists are also a great place to start. They often bridge the gap between the patient and their prescriber. They are pros at interpreting information for patients. “The pharmacist can be very accessible," says Dr. Swidan. “If a patient needs more info, the pharmacist can also reach out to the provider and better understand the treatment goal.”
Be sure to share important details such as any other medications you take. And be honest about any challenges you face in sticking to a plan. That way your doctor or pharmacist can brainstorm other options or strategies that will truly work for you.
Additional sources:
Medication safety: U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Adherence: BMC Health Services Research
