Daily Care : Prescriptions & Medication

Questions to Ask your Doctor About Medications
Ask these questions any time a doctor prescribes a new medication.

Dangerous Drug Interactions: Medicines at War Within the Body
The battle, known as polypharmacy, is estimated to cause the death of 100,000 older adults each year. As caregiver, you have the ability to identify possible polypharmacy in your Mom or Dad and can correct or eliminate the condition.

Antioxidant Supplements: Beware of Dangerous Drug Interactions
Antioxidants have proven effective in fighting the free radicals. But the pill supplement form are not without their share of controversy.

A Natural Product Does Not Mean a Safe Product
Dietary supplements, such as herbs and vitamins, are not regulated by the Food & Drug Administration, and can sometimes interact with prescription medications.

How to Find Low-Cost Prescription Drugs
Comparing prices before filling a prescription can save you hundreds of dollars a month in medication costs.

My still independent mother is being treated with Aricept for early Alzheimer’s and Paxil for mild depression. I thought I heard somewhere that those two drugs shouldn’t be combined, but I forget why.
Since there are so many anti-depressants available, why gamble with one that might reduce the effectiveness of the dementia medication?

My father saw a doctor about frequent pain, and was prescribed an "off-label" prescription. The doctor said the drug hasn't actually been approved to treat this problem but was okay. Is this proper? Legal?
"Off-label" prescriptions are certainly legal. But whether or not an off-label use of a medication is appropriate depends on a number of factors which your father's physician has likely considered. Click to read Dr.Connolly's full answer.

My 82-year-old mother lives alone. She takes a lot of medications and I am worried that she might not take the proper pills at the proper times. What can I do?
Elderly people are most definitely at an increased risk for problems related to the use of prescription drugs, nonprescription (or over-the-counter) medicines, and herbal or other alternative medicines. The sheer number of drugs they take contributes significantly to problems associated with noncompliance, drug interactions or adverse drug reactions, and the misuse of medications. Click to read Dr. Connolly's full answer.