HHS HealthBeat (January 5, 2012)

Keeping up with the medications

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Especially as people grow older, they amass what amounts to a drug collection. The prescriptions can be daunting, especially with the requirements to take some with food, some without, some without only certain foods, some at only certain times of the day….

But at HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, or AHRQ, Diane Cousins says being smart and safe with prescription drugs doesn’t have to be hard:

``AHRQ has a free guide that answers common questions about sharing your medical information with your health care providers, learning about your medicines, and carrying out your treatment plan.’’  (9 seconds)

The guide, called ``Your Medicine: Be Smart. Be Safe,’’ also has a handy wallet card, where you can list your medications, so you can have the list available if there’s an emergency.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: January 5, 2012