Drug interactions a danger for everyone

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Story Published: Apr 10, 2007 at 5:00 AM PDT

By Herb Weisbaum

We learned this week why Anna Nicole Smith died. The Coroner in Broward County, Fla. Ruled it was from an "accidental overdose" of prescription drugs.

Dangerous drug interactions are not limited to celebrities. It's a serious problem in this country. The Food and Drug Administration estimates that every year, about 100,000 people die from an adverse drug reaction. Dana Kahn, a pharmacist at Virginia Mason Medical Center says that's why it's so important to tell all of your doctors what medications you take, "including over the counter medications, herbal supplements, even drug samples."

Keep a current list of all your meds in your purse or wallet. And show it to your doctor or nurse practitioner at every appointment. Make sure your list includes the dosage and how often you take each drug.

Dana Kahn says it's a good idea to buy all your drugs from one pharmacy because they can keep track of all of your medications and screen for drug interactions.

You can also use an online drug interaction checker to see if you're taking any risky combinations. Here are a few links:

For More Information:

Internet Offers Many Ways to Avoid Harmful Drug Mixtures

Drug Interactions: What You Should Know

Grapefruit Juice: Can it cause drug interactions

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