Safe medication use guidelines

We can only use medicines safely if we know as much as we can about them. Knowing what a medicine is and what it is used for will help us maximize the benefits we get from it and minimize the chances of harm.

The key to proper medication use is to strictly follow the doctor’s, pharmacist’s, or the instructions on the drug label at all times. For example, a drug that states to be taken with food indicates that it may irritate the digestive tract. Some drugs must be taken at specific times, such as every 4 or 6 hours, because their effects last only for a certain period of time. Therefore, if you forget to take a dose, your body will not receive the dose that will provide the desired effect. Therefore, every time you receive medication, you should know and understand how to take it.

With best wishes from the Pharmacy Department, Bangkok Christian Hospital, Nakhon Pathom.