Tag Archives: medical history

In the Last Thirty Years of Prescription Medications…

I have to admit — I’m spoiled by modern technology and comforts. It’s hard to imagine what life was like without prescription medications… but just three decades ago, they were far less advanced than they are now. According to the National Institutes of Health, just thirty years ago very little was known about predicting drug interactions and/or serious side effects. Doctors, researchers, and pharmacists had no way to anticipate these problems until drugs started clinical studies — or were widely used by consumers in some cases. Potential toxicity was determined by the effects of a medication on animals — if … Continue reading →

Patient, Know Thyself

I know I’ve talked about knowing your medical history before in the Health Blog. Think of it this way — your doctor sees a lot of patients every day/week/month/year. You can’t expect them to remember everything about every person! Doctors and other health care professionals are human. They have good days and bad days and they make mistakes. Knowing your history (including allergies, medications you take, and other stuff like that) can help prevent a mistake from being something serious. Case in point: I got bit by a cat over the weekend at the cats-only boarding facility. Unlike every other … Continue reading →

Tip of the Day- Make an Emergency Medical Card

We all hate those little cards the schools send home in triplicate each year. But hey, they have a point. In the event of an emergency the last thing they want to do is scramble for information. Take a few minutes to make your life a little easier as well. When an emergency happens there are things you’ll be asked or need to tell someone that you may not be able to. The medical providers aren’t trying to make things harder on you, they’re trying to get the job done and provide the best care they can. It helps both … Continue reading →