 Health
and Nutrition
Using Medicines Wisely
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Audio/Video Script:
Dr. Margaret Harris
Assistant Professor - Health
[Title Slide - Using Medicines Wisely; Dr. Margaret Harris, Health, U of A Division of Agriculture.
Picture of a hand holding pills.]
[Dr. Margaret Harris] Did you know that there are over 100,000 drug products on the market?
[Picture of inside a medicine cabinet full of products. Be MedWise Arkansas.
Active Ingredient. Chemical Compound in a medicine that works with your body to
relieve symptoms.] Every drug contains at least 1 active ingredient. An ACTIVE INGREDIENT is the
chemical compound in a medicine that works with your body to relieve symptoms.
[Dr. Margaret Harris] With over 1,000 active ingredients on the market, overdosing, drug interactions
and drug abuse of both prescription and over-the-counter drugs are growing
increasingly common.
Here are some tips to use your medicines wisely:
1. Always start by reading the ENTIRE drug facts label before using a
medication. [Picture of drug facts label. Be MedWise Arkansas. Using Medicines
Wisely.] Reading the label will help you decide if you have selected the right
product for you.
2. Look for an over-the-counter medicine that will treat ONLY the problems
you have. [Picture of bottle of cough medicine being poured into a spoon. Be
MedWise Arkansas. Using Medicines Wisely.]
3. Know what to avoid while taking an over-the-counter medicine to
prevent a bad side effect. [Picture of a hand full of pills. Be MedWise
Arkansas. Using Medicines Wisely.]
4. Take the medicine EXACTLY as stated on the label. [Picture of a
doctor showing a patient a bottle of medicine and explaining dosages to them. Be
MedWise Arkansas. Using Medicines Wisely.] When it comes to medicines, more is not better! Taking too much of a
medicine can be harmful. Only take the amount recommended on the label and
at the exact intervals stated on the label.
5. If you are not sure, ASK a pharmacist before you buy or use an
over-the-counter medicine. [Picture of a pharmacists talking to a lady
explaining dosages to them. Be MedWise Arkansas. Using Medicines Wisely.]
6. Use EXTRA CAUTION when using more than one over-the-counter drug at
a time. [Picture of a several different types of pills. Be MedWise Arkansas.
Using Medicines Wisely.] Many over-the-counter medicines contain the same active ingredients, which means
you may be getting more than the recommended dose without even knowing it.
Always compare active ingredients before taking more than one
over-the-counter medicine
at the same time.
7. To prevent drug interactions or bad side effects, don’t combine
prescription medicines with over-the-counter medicines before talking to
your pharmacist first. [Picture of a several different types of pills and
prescription pill bottles. Be MedWise Arkansas. Using Medicines Wisely.]
8. Make sure that each of your doctors has a list of all the prescription,
over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements you are taking. [Picture
of a doctor showing a patient a bottle of medicine. Be MedWise Arkansas. Using
Medicines Wisely.]
9. Always give infants and children medicines that are formulated for
their age and weight. [Picture of a doctor giving a child a dose of
medicine. Be MedWise Arkansas. Using Medicines Wisely.] Unless labeled otherwise, adult-strength products should not be given
to children. Doing so could result in accidental overdosing. To be safe,
don’t cut adult tablets in half or estimate a child’s dose of an
adult-strength liquid product.
10. Don’t use medicines after the expiration date, and make sure you
dispose of them safely. [Picture of a woman looking at a medicine bottle out of
a medicine cabinet. Be MedWise Arkansas. Using Medicines Wisely.]
[Dr. Margaret Harris] Remember, your health is too important to play guessing games! For more
information about how to Be MedWise, contact your local county Extension Agent.
[Slide] To learn more, contact your county extension agent and
follow the links in this section. U of A University of Arkansas Division of
Agriculture
Related Link
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