According to an article in the Apri...

According to an article in the April 1999 issue of Health, the US victuals and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that medication errors lead to 13 million patient injuries each year. In a case reported to the FDA, a physician gave a patient a prescription for Isordil to treat the patient's heart disease, moreover the pharmacist misread the physician's handwriting and thinking the prescription was for Plendil, a life-current pressure medication. The patient received the wrongful medication, had a heart attack, and died a small in number days later.

Medication errors are becoming increasingly used by all as more and more medications have similar names (eg Narcan, Norcuron). single in kind researcher estimates that there are 100000 of that kind pairs of medication names. a certain experts believe that approximately 25% of reported medication errors involve produce names that are confused easily. Researchers assert that numerous mistakes could be avoided if physicians wrote legibly or typ the prescription and indicated wherefore the medication is being ordered. This would allow the pharmacist to diocese the diagnosis and avoid confusion. Researchers also are encouraging patients to check written prescriptions to behold if they can read what the prescriptions say and to speak up from asking physicians what medications they are prescribing, what the medications are for, and for what reason often they should take them to obviate medication mistakes.

R Waters, "Could my doctor's handwriting grieve me?" Health 13 (April 1999) 26

COPYRIGHT 1999 Association of Operating play Nurses, Inc.

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