Safe Medicine Dosage: Tips to Avoid Common Mistakes

Managing multiple medicines can be challenging, and it is not uncommon to make mistakes while taking them or miss them. Taking medicines correctly—at the right dose and at the right time—is essential to ensure their effectiveness and to avoid harmful side effects or complications.

To manage safe dosage and schedule:

• Track your medicine schedule: To ensure the right medicine, at the right time, in the right doses, keep a list of your medication with the timetable of intake handy. Set reminders for yourself on your phone, use a pill box, or schedule medication doses around your daily routines. If you are going out, carry one day's medicine always in your purse or briefcase. Avoid vague orders like 'resume prior meds'; use smart pillboxes to prevent skips.

  
• Check your prescription: Check the label to ensure the name and spelling match the prescribed dosage. Save your prescription/medicine schedule on your phone.

  
• What if you miss a dose: Take the missed dose as soon as you remember, within a few hours of the original schedule. If it is close to the time for your next dose, do not double up by taking the missed medicines, as this can increase the risk of side effects or overdose. Use apps for intervals and obtain patient weight for dosing verification to prevent errors.
• When in different time zones: If you are travelling overseas to a different time zone, keep the same time interval till you gradually adjust to the new time zone routine. Maintain intervals and use apps to avoid double-dosing.

  
• Talk to your doctor: If you are unsure what to do, or if you missed multiple doses, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately. For those on multiple doses, use smart pillboxes or consult pharmacists for weight-based meds to ensure accurate dosing.

  

Globally, as per the WHO, medication errors contribute to nearly 50% of overall avoidable harm. So keep up to date with the best practices and increase patient safety.