All medications can be hazardous — but negative outcomes from bad drug interactions are entirely preventable.
It is a doctor’s responsibility to take a complete and thorough medical history to understand if you have any drug allergies or drug sensitivities. They should also find out if you take any supplements or over-the-counter drugs in addition to your prescriptions to minimize the chances of you taking a potentially deadly drug combination.
What you need to know about drug interactions
While taking most individual prescription medications as prescribed by your doctor may be relatively harmless to you, combos of certain prescriptions can be fatal. Any instance in which a doctor isn’t aware of all the drugs you are potentially taking or are allergic to can have a tragic result.
Interactions with drugs do not necessarily have to be life-threatening, it can simply make the drugs you are using less effective. This may mean having to potentially change the doses you are taking to counteract the interactions of the drugs you are using together.
Drugs work differently depending on the person. You may have pre-existing conditions that may impact the effectiveness of a drug or whether it will be harmful to you. The food or drinks that you consume may also inhibit how well a drug works (or cause it to become toxic).
Side effects may occur depending on the drugs you take. There may also be instances in which vitamins, herbs, dietary supplements, minerals and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines have unintended negative consequences when used in conjunction with certain drugs.
When you should hold a doctor accountable for a drug reaction
When your doctor prescribes medication without checking your chart or asking the right questions, critical mistakes can happen. If you or a loved one suffered injuries due to medical malpractice, take steps to protect your interests. Learn more about pursuing a claim for compensation for your losses.
