b'To decrease these risk factors, keep an theoendingmedication.Patientsshouldupdated list of all current prescription and ensure all medications are being processedOTC medications and supplements you take, through the same pharmacy when possibleandwhich doctors prescribed them. Presenting to facilitate discussion between healthcarethis list at all doctor appointments provides team members, should an issue arise. information physicians need to proceed with Pharmacistsareonthefrontlineofprescribing or de-prescribing medications to healthcare, so ask them questions or expressprevent or relieve a heavy pill burden. This concerns. If you are concerned about how alist will also allow you to ask more questions newmedicationisworkingorinteractingabout the various medications to any physician, with other medication, ask your pharmacist orto gain more clarity and decrease the risk of another healthcare provider. Your healthcareaccidentally misusing medication. team wants you safe and healthy. They haveTrust your pharmacist the knowledge to discern if a drug interactionOften, patients with ve or more medications is taking place, and how to resolve the problem.use more than one pharmacy to fill their Beware of OTC medicine,prescriptions.Ina2009study,multiple herbal supplements, and vitaminspharmacy patients used between two and 17 Before starting a new OTC medication,differentpharmacylocationstofilltheir including vitamins and herbal supplements,prescriptions.Usingmultiplepharmacies you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist.poses potential medication safety concerns, Common OTC medications or supplementsas pharmacists at any one location do not pose the same risk for drug interactions ashave the ability to maintain a full and accurate prescriptionmedicationsbymimicking,medicationproleformedicineslledat magnifying, or opposing the eects of otherother pharmacies. Visiting one pharmacy for medication. For instance, there is an increasedall of your prescription and OTC needs allows risk of bleeding when taking warfarin withthe pharmacist to be the common linkbetween all of your physicians and all of your garlic or omeprazole; or an increased risk ofmedications. This allows ample opportunity serotonin syndrome when taking St. Johnsfor a pharmacist to identify medication wortwithantidepressants;orechinaceaduplications,monitorforeectivenessof decreasing the effectiveness of immuno-each medicine, screen for drug interactions, and suppressants. communicate with the dierent providers. A Pharmacists, physicians, nurses, andpharmacist is a drug expert, but he or she other healthcare professionals strive to keepdoes their job best only when they have all of patients happy, healthy, and safe, but theyyour medication information.need help. Maintain an updated medicationWhen a pharmacist identies a potential list and bring it to every doctors appointment.drug interaction on a patients medication Usethesamepharmacyandbuildaprole, he or she works on a healthcare team to relationship with the pharmacist. Have ainform the prescribing physician. The pharmacist discussion with a doctor or pharmacisthas a discussion with the prescriber on the before starting an OTC medication, herbalrisk/benet of continuing or discontinuing supplements, or vitamins.57 msfocusmagazine.org'