FDA’s recent announcement strengthening its warning of heart attack and stroke risk for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS, will hopefully alert patients about their possible dangers.
Sure it’s time-consuming to read any script’s lengthy, often complex instructions, but it could be lifesaving. On April 22, I drove myself to the local hospital ER, barely able to swallow or breath. I don’t recall my trusted physician telling me about the complication—Angiodema—when he prescribed the (ACE) inhibitor for me many years ago. Turns out, the prescription information did carry an appropriate warning, which I never read prior to my ER visit.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers and associations invest big bucks into patient education and adherence, with packaging playing a larger role. Despite those efforts, loss of life and financial expenses stemming from the lack of patient adherence remain staggering. As I look into the mirror, I implore patients to read and learn everything you can about your script, especially its warnings and side effects details.
