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Drug interactions are often caused by medical mistakes

For many patients, the treatment a doctor recommends for their symptoms may be a prescription medication. Prescribed or controlled substances can help people with everything from controlling their blood sugar and blood pressure to managing depression. Doctors have to oversee the administration of medications because they are potentially dangerous.

Some substances are easy to abuse and can lead to addiction. Others have a strong association with severe side effects. Many different medications can also produce dangerous drug interactions. Interactions come in many forms. Some drugs have synergistic effects on each other, meaning they amplify one another’s medical effects. Other times, one medication might negate the effectiveness of another. Antibiotics and birth control are an example of this kind of interaction.

Medical professionals recommending medication should check carefully to ensure that their patient is not at risk of an interaction. When drug interactions do occur, they are often a sign of malpractice.

Why do doctors overlook interactions?

There are hundreds of different prescribed medications available, and some people take multiple prescriptions at once. Medications can also have interactions with over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements and even certain foods.

It is therefore necessary for doctors to review a patient’s medical history carefully and discuss their daily habits before prescribing a medication. They may need to warn a patient about continuing to take certain nutritional supplements or eating certain foods, like grapefruit. They may also need to look into an alternative medication in cases where a drug the patient already takes could cause issues with the medication they intend to prescribe.

Drug interactions are largely predictable with the right medical review. Unfortunately, doctors often rush through the prescribing process. They may also fail to properly follow up with a patient to ensure that they have an appropriate medical response to the prescribed medication. Drug interactions can cause a host of side effects and can diminish how effective treatment is for a patient.

In cases where better medical review, proper advice or follow up with the patient could have prevented an interaction, the patient may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Physicians are responsible in scenarios where a failure to follow best practices leads to a negative outcome for their patients. Provided that other doctors could have predicted and prevented the interaction, the patient might be able to take legal action.

Pursuing a medical malpractice lawsuit can potentially help patients to recoup the costs generated by a significant medical mistake. Prescription drug errors are usually preventable with appropriate care on the part of a physician and pharmacists.

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