What is the problem?
Quite simply, if you do not take medicine properly, it might not help you get better, or it can even make you ill.
People not taking medicines properly is the reason for more than 1 out of every 20 emergency re-admissions to hospital.
We know that almost 1 in every 3 people do not take their regular medicines in the right way. Of these people:
- just over half of them do not even realise that they are taking their medicines in the wrong way
- just under half of them either choose not to take it, or decide to take it in a way that they think is better
There are more medicines around than ever before. People are also living longer, so they need more of those medicines for longer. So it is really important that people understand about taking them properly.
Why don't people take medicines properly?
There are all sorts of reasons. People can:
- forget to take the medicines
- take too much or too little
- take them at the wrong time
- take someone else's
- take other remedies that interfere with the medicine
The following information is to help you to have the confidence that you are taking your medicines safely.
Different types of medicines
What is a medicine, and what is a drug?
Sometimes people talk about drugs and medicines as if they are the same thing. So what is the difference?
Drugs
This is something that is taken into the body and changes the way the body works. For example, alcohol and caffeine are all drugs as they alter the way the body acts after taking them.
Medicines
Medicines contain drugs in a specially prepared form for different reasons such as:
- to treat an illness
- to stop an illness occurring
- to relieve symptoms of an illness
- to improve the quality of life
There are three main legal classes of medicines:
General sales list medicines (GSL)
These can be sold anywhere such as the supermarket, corner shop or petrol station. They include things like a lot of the standard pills or hot drinks you might get for headaches, sore throats and colds.
Pharmacy medicines (P)
These can only be bought from pharmacies where a pharmacist is on duty. You will have to ask for them or the pharmacy team will recommend one to you. You won't need a prescription, but they won’t be on the main shelves of the shop. These might include stronger or bigger pack versions of some of the general sales list medicines.
Prescription only medicines (POM)
These can only be obtained from a pharmacist if you have a prescription and cannot be bought normally. These include some controlled drugs for medicinal use.
You may also use or hear about 'herbal medicines' like St Johns Wort. These aren't legally classified as medicines, but they can still affect other medicines, so you should let your doctor or pharmacist know if you are using them.
Different formulations of medicine
Medicines are available in different types (pharmacists may call them 'formulations'), such as liquids, tablets and eye drops.
The type of the medication determines how it should be used:
- is it a tablet, or a liquid?
- is it something you swallow, or spread on your skin?
- is it something that dissolves quickly or slowly?
Sometimes there is more than one formulation for a particular medicine so that you can choose one that is most suitable for you. For example, there are several different types of tablet:
Tablet
These are 'traditional' tablets made of compressed powder.
Caplet
These are shaped like a capsule and coated for easier swallowing.
Capsule
These can be powder, liquid or oil in a gelatine shell.
Enteric coated
These are for medicines that would be damaged by the acids in your stomach. They have a coating which is not affected in the stomach, but which dissolves in the small intestine.
Please note
You must not cut or crush these before you take them, because that will destroy the protective coating, and they will not work.
Time release
These release the medicine slowly. This allows you to take one tablet when otherwise you might have to take more during the day.
Please note
You must not cut or crush this sort of tablet as it will release all the medicine at once which could be dangerous.
Lozenge
These dissolve in the mouth.
Meltlets or wafers
These dissolve on the tongue.
Why do people take medicines incorrectly
There are many reasons why people do not take their medicines in the right way.
- Not really knowing what the medicine is for
- Confusion over the name of the medicine
- Not understanding what the directions mean
- Not knowing how best to take their medicines
- Not knowing when, or for how long to take medicines.
- Suffering from side effects of medicines
- Practical issues such as getting medicines out of the containers
Some other good practice in keeping and disposing of medicines
Storage of medicines
Many people store their medicines in the bathroom or kitchen. This may not always be the best idea as these areas are generally warm and moist. Medicines should be stored at room temperature and away from sunlight.
In general:
- keep medicines safe, and out of reach of children
- keep them cool and dry, and away from direct sunlight
- keep medicines in the original containers if you can
- only store in the fridge if the label says so. (Some people think that all eye drops go in the fridge, but this is not the case)
- keep liquid medicine that you put in your mouth in a different place from liquid medicine that you put on your skin.
Disposing of medicines
Medicines contain ingredients that may be harmful to the environment, so they need to be disposed of in a safe manner. Take any medicine that you no longer need back to a pharmacy, it is a normal part of their job to receive waste medicine and dispose of it safely. You do not have to return it to the pharmacy that provided it.
Remember:
- don’t keep used or out of date medicines in the home
- never throw them into the bin
- never put medicines down the sink or down the toilet