People use prescription drugs to lower cholesterol, strengthen a heart weakened by disease, provide necessary pain management, etc. However, sometimes the substance you expect to help you hurts you instead. Often this is because of drug interactions that your pharmacist could have avoided.
These dangerous situations can occur when one drug that a patient is taking adversely interacts with another drug. However, drug interactions also occur when prescription drugs mix with certain foods, beverages, and supplements.
Drug interactions might:
The prescription you pick up from the drug store typically will have labels noting foods, drugs, or activities you should avoid. For example, grapefruit juice can interact badly with a number of drugs, including antihistamines, anti-anxiety drugs, and some corticosteroids. Likewise, you might be advised to avoid sunlight when taking certain medications. Your pharmacist has a responsibility to warn you of potential problems with your prescribed drugs.
But there’s more to the patient-pharmacist relationship.
Yes, pharmacists have a long list of responsibilities when it comes to patient care. For example, pharmacists are required to keep patient records that include:
“…known allergies, drug reactions, idiosyncrasies, and chronic conditions or disease states of the patient and the identity of any other drugs, including over-the-counter drugs, or devices currently being used by the patient which may related to prospective drug review.”
Pharmacists are required to watch for potential drug interactions based on a patient’s:
But what can you do if you suffer drug interactions that should have been avoided?
You may or may not have a case against your pharmacist. However, if something went wrong with your prescription drugs, talk to an experienced lawyer to learn more about your options.
If you have been hurt because of someone else’s negligence, you need top-rated, hard-working representation. At Shapiro|Delgado, our attorneys put their injury law experience to work for you. And we handle cases on a contingency basis, which means we don’t get paid unless you do.
We represent clients throughout Florida, including Sarasota, Bradenton, Tampa, Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, and surrounding communities.
To set up a free personal consultation, call 941-954-4000 or use our convenient online contact form.
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