Approximately three-fourths of adults misuse the medications they are prescribed or buy over the counter, said researchers in the July 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Lead author Susanna E. Bedell, M.D., of the Lown Cardiovascular Center in Brook-line, Mass., and colleagues studied 312 patients from five cardiology and two internal medicine practices. The study team asked patients to bring all of their medications to their physicians’ offices. Then they compared the medication packages the patients brought in with what was noted in their records.
Researchers found discrepancies in 76 percent of these patients. Of the 545 discrepancies noted, 278 (51 percent) involved patients’ taking medications that were not recorded, 158 (29 percent) involved patients’ not taking a recorded medication, and 109 (20 percent) involved patients’ taking different doses of recorded medication.
The study team also found that taking more than one medication and being 40 years of age or older significantly contributed to the discrepancies.
As medication misuse can cause morbidity and mortality, as well as foster the development of drug-resistant bacteria, Dr. Bedell suggests that all health care providers ask their patients to bring in all of their medications—prescribed and over-the-counter drugs, as well as herbal supplements. They then can ensure that the patients’ records are correct and educate patients about their medications.
