Know your medicines – a guide to taking prescribed drugs

The risk of medicine-related problems increases with age, due to inevitable changes in the human body.  

For example, how much water, fat and muscle you have changes. Some health conditions also create changes in the body. Because of this, you might: 

• Become more sensitive to the  effects of medicines. 

• Not be able to process medicines properly. 

• Have difficulty removing medicines from your body. 

• Become more prone to side effects and interactions between medicines. 

Your brain and nervous system also change with age, so problems such as memory loss or poor eyesight can begin to affect the practical aspects of taking medicines. It is easier to accidentally take your medicine twice or forget to take it at all. 

Age comes with being prescribed an array of medicines. Experts say if you take five or more medicines daily, you are twice as likely to have side effects than other people. You are also far more likely to be taking medicines that could interact with each other. 

Taking many different medicines can also mean a greater chance of making mistakes, especially if these drugs need to be taken at different times of the day or week.

Ask your doctor these questions: 

• Why do I need to take this medicine? 

• Are there side effects?

• What should I do if I notice any side effects or symptoms? 

• What should I do if I don’t feel like my medication is working? 

• Are there any precautions I need to take, such as not driving? 

• Does this medication interact with my other medicines, both prescription and non-prescription? 

• Do I need to have regular tests to check how the medicine is affecting me? 

• Is there a way to reduce the number of medicines I’m taking? 

You can also use this Question Builder tool to create your question list for the appointment. Prepare your list, then print or email it so you remember what you want to ask. 

You can use a medicines list to keep track of: 

• What each medicine (prescription and non-prescription) is for.

• What the dose of each medicine is. 

• When and how to use each medicine. 

To learn how to create your medicines list, go to the NPS MedicineWise. 

This is very important for seniors who travel. Always carry the list with you so that medical professionals seeking to treat you can quickly understand the medicines you’re taking.  

You can also put an app on your phone to remind you when to take your medicines and help everyone involved in your healthcare know what you are taking. You can download the free MedicineWise smartphone app from Google Play or the App Store. 

Having an up-to-date medicines list also helps to make sure all your medicines get reviewed. 

Medicines should be reviewed by your doctor every 6 to 12 months. But you can ask for a medication review at any time, especially when changes are made, including starting new or stopping medicines, or when travelling overseas. 

You may be able to have a Home Medicines Review (HMR), where a pharmacist visits you at home. The review gives you the opportunity to ask the pharmacist about your medicines and how to manage them well. 

Your doctor will use the results of your review to develop a medication management plan with you. You will need a referral from a GP to have the review.