Reviewing your patient's medication regimen: a systematic approach

To ensure that your patients' medications do not create more problems than they solve, examine all medications being taken, whether prescription or not. Review each drug regimen in a systematic manner, noting history of adverse effects, need for the drug, duplication in therapy, inappropriate dose, route, or schedule, current adverse effects, drug-drug interactions, and drug-disease interactions. Doing so will help you identify or prevent problems. It can also highlight ways in which the medication regimen may be simplified. The patient's pharmacist can be an excellent resource for determining appropriate dosages, potential for interaction, and overlapping drugs. Unnecessary or potentially dangerous medications can be brought to the attention of the physician and perhaps eliminated, simplifying the regimen and possibly increasing compliance. You will be more alert to possible adverse reactions, and have a clearer understanding of your patient's medication therapy.