Medications play a crucial role in maintaining our health.
However, mistakes can happen during the prescription process, leading to potentially serious consequences. The wrong medication or incorrect dosage may create adverse effects with long-term effects.
The ways prescription errors occur
Prescription errors stem from a variety of factors. One common cause is a simple mix-up between similar drug names, which may confuse both doctors and pharmacists. Additionally, miscommunication between healthcare providers, inadequate patient information and hurried appointments can contribute to errors. In some cases, patients may also receive incorrect dosages due to miscalculations or misinterpretations of the prescribed instructions. Unfortunately, 7,000 to 9,000 Americans die annually due to this type of medical error.
The potential dangers of drug interactions
Even if you get the right medication and dosage, the drug may not interact well with other prescriptions you take. Drug interactions occur when one medication affects the way another medication works, potentially leading to unexpected and harmful effects. Some interactions can amplify a drug’s effects, while others can diminish them or cause adverse reactions.
The ripple effects of wrong medication and dosage
The repercussions of receiving the wrong medication or dosage may have severe, long-lasting consequences. Physical side effects may range from mild discomfort to serious health complications. Potential outcomes include allergic reactions, adverse interactions with other medications and organ damage. Moreover, the psychological toll of dealing with unexpected health issues on top of existing ones may lead to developing stress and anxiety.
Patients have the right to expect a certain standard of care. If negligence in prescribing leads to harm, you may have grounds for seeking legal recourse.
