Transcript Taking a drug history

What do we need to know?

Details of drugs and medications

Frequency of administration

Compliance

Side- effects and allergies
Drugs and medications
“
Are you taking any medication at the moment?”
“ Which tablet do you take?” “do you know the
strength of the tablet?”
“ Do you use any over the counter remedies or herbal
medicines?”
“Do you take any health foods?”
“ What other therapies do you have? Physiotherapy?
Occupational therapy?
Frequency of administration

“ How many times a day do you take
this?”
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“How often do you take the tablet?”
Compliance
 the
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act of taking medication on
schedule or taking it as prescribed
Patients may be compliant or noncompliant
“ Do you always remember to take it?
• Are you taking your medication
regularly?
•
Hospital stays ( average length of stay 4.2
days)
•
In USA 12% of people don’t take their
medication at all after they buy the
prescription
•
In Italy co-payment schemes have a
negative result on compliance
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age and race
Economic status
Medical costs
Forgetfulness
Treatment anxiety
Misunderstanding
Fear of dependence
Length of treatment
Complex treatment
Unwanted side effects
Side- effects and allergies

“ Do you get any side- effects?”
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“Do you have any allergies”
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“Are you allergic to any drugs?”
Yes? “ What symptoms do you get after taking it?”
“ Have any medicines ever upset you?”
•
What happened when you took the medication?
•
When was this reaction?
•
Have you taken the med since?
Put your patient at ease:Greet the patient by name: “ Good
morning Mrs. Brown”

Shake the patient's hand or rest hand on
theirs if unwell

Ensure the patient is comfortable