Beware of medication errors when visiting your doctor

On Behalf of | Jan 16, 2025 | Doctor Errors |

When visiting your doctor, you may be prescribed medication for an injury or illness. Medications can alleviate symptoms, treat diseases or relax muscles. It is possible that more than half of Americans depend on some kind of prescription medicine every day.

It is important to understand what you are being prescribed. Many substances have side effects that may be worse than the illness or injury it is treating. However, you may also need to watch for medication errors. Medication errors can lead to serious medical complications. Here is what you should know:

4 common medication errors 

Medication errors are a type of medical malpractice. There are a few common types of medication errors, including:

  1. Giving the wrong medication: A patient may be given the wrong medication for an illness or injury, which can lead to ineffective treatment.
  2. Incorrect dosage of medication: A doctor may prescribe a medication with a higher or lower dosage than intended.
  3. Medicine interactions: A patient may take a medication that inadvertently and adversely interacts with a new medication.  
  4. Wrong patient prescription: A patient may be prescribed a medication that was intended for someone else.

Knowing what type of medication errors can occur can protect you from serious medical complications.

4 common dangers of medication errors

Why are medication errors so dangerous? Chemical substances are not something to take lightly. Dangers that can arise from taking the wrong medication include:

  1. Organ damage: Certain medications can have side effects that affect vital organs, such as the liver or kidneys.
  2. Adverse interactions: Incorrect doses of drug-on-drug interactions can lead to severe symptoms, such as nausea, skin rashes or allergic reactions.
  3. Increased hospital stays: The wrong medicine may lead to prolonged hospital stays or additional treatments. 
  4. Delayed treatment: A patient may not be able to seek medical treatment because a medication is worsening their health. 

In some cases, the wrong medication can even lead to increased hospital stays or death. Victims may need to understand their legal rights when seeking justice. 

4 common reasons medication errors happen

It may be important to know why a medication error happened. This can help hold liable parties responsible for their actions. Some common causes of medication error include: 

  1. Lack of training: A medical practitioner may lack training or experience, leading to a medication error. 
  2. Poor handwriting: A medical practitioner may have poor handwriting, making it harder for nurses and pharmacists to understand what medication should be prescribed. 
  3. Overlooked medical records: A medical practitioner may have failed to review a patient’s medical records before prescribing medication. 
  4. Similar names: A medication may have a similar name to another substance, which leads to the wrong prescription. 

If you suffer a medication error, you may need to learn about your legal rights. You may be entitled to compensation for injuries or worsening medical conditions.