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You can treat disease with medication and supplements. But, you want to make sure you do it right with the correct dose. If used incorrectly, the supplements and drugs can be hazardous to health and possibly even cause death.

To make sure this doesn’t happen, you may want to follow these basic tips.

Supplements — People frequently think if the supplements are purchased at a pharmacy, then they are safe. Lots of supplements may cause side effects, especially when used in large doses.

There aren’t very many people that take vitamins everyday, even if a doctor suggests it. However, you do need to know how the minerals within these vitamins interact with the medication.

Moreover, determining the proper level of supplements is scientifically complex and the information often insufficient. Take, for example, using the calcium. In general calcium supplements have been determined to be safe and can help. But calcium pills must be used with caution because they may increase the risk of accidental death in elderly women due to cardiovascular disease.

Talk to your doctor before starting a supplement.

Prescription Drugs — It has been found that about 12% of medication errors are due to confusing medicine names. According to the World Health Agency, or WHO, this confusion is a big problem that needs to be solved. Happily, a lot of the mistakes can be avoided by increasing public awareness.

Question it and ask. Be sure the drugs you receive from the pharmacy or hospital are the ones prescribed according to your doctor’s orders. It was found by researchers at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences that 89% of errors in medication use were due to either the wrong drug or the wrong dosage being administered.

Locate a pharmacist or a drug store that works for you and buy medicine from that one spot. When the pharmacist has enough time to know you, then it is very probable that he will notice when something is not right with your prescription.

Talk about it with your pharmacist. This will ensure that you receive the correct prescription and that you fully understand its side effects. Be familiar with the physical characteristics of the medicine you frequently use, such as the size, color, and shape of the pills. Be sure to look at this medicine carefully. Be sure to check the label on the drug to ensure it is the one prescribed by your doctor.

Double check the prescription before you leave the pharmacy. Many people just leave after paying. Be sure it is your name on the medicine bottle or box. Then take out the medicine bottle or package and investigate the label.

Find out if your medication interacts with other medications. Side effects may still be experienced even with common drugs that are used often and effective. Some drugs also may be toxic when combined with other drugs, or may cause allergic reactions in some users.

See if your medication interacts with any food. For example, grape juice can drive up the blood level if ingested together with sedation drugs and others, and calcium in dairy products can prevent the proper absorption of some popular antibiotics such as tetracycline and ciprofloxacin. Clarify any questions you have with your doctor and be sure to read the info sheet that comes with your medication.

Be sure you can read the prescription before you leave the doctor’s office. If you are unable to read it, then the pharmacist may not be able to either.

You need to inquire of your physician as to how often and for how long you should take your medication as well as if you need to take the medicine on an empty or full stomach, and if you should not take part in certain activities or consume certain foods or beverages.

Also be sure to find out about possible side effects, and what to do if they do occur.

If it won’t cause a problem, then don’t use drugs that are still on the two-year list for review by the medicine approval board. Normally, drugs are safe based on small studies. It is best to select the medication that has a proven track record as being safe.