Many people take dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, or herbs to improve their health. It is easy to assume these products are safe as they can be readily found in stores and are usually made with natural ingredients. However, supplements are not necessarily safe, especially when taken with medicines. Let’s look at how food and supplements can interact with medicines.
Tag: Medicine
Chances are you have used an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine to treat a headache, relieve allergy symptoms, or manage a cold. Like prescription medicines, OTC medicines should be used as instructed on the label. In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of OTC medicines and ways to make sure they are being used and stored safely.
Antidepressants are medicines that are prescribed to treat symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Sometimes they are prescribed for other conditions such as chronic pain, sleeping disorders, and migraine.
Measuring medicine, also called dosing, can be confusing! Health care providers and pharmacists may use terms such as milligrams (mg), milliliters (mL), micrograms (mcg), grams (g or gm), international units (IU), or other units of measure when talking about medicine.
Poisonings don’t take a vacation. They happen 365 days a year. Stay safe while away with these tips!
There are many myths about poisons and poison centers. We’re here to provide the truth behind these myths.
Many people choose weight loss as their new year resolution. In addition to the usual steps to achieving weight loss – setting specific and measurable goals, eating healthy, exercising, and other lifestyle changes – some people also use weight loss medicines or supplements.
Since 2010, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has held 20 National Drug Take Back Day events. These events are a free and easy way to safely dispose of medicines – both prescription and over-the-counter. The next drug take back day event is October 23, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Antihistamines are a type of medicine commonly used to treat allergies. Antihistamines were involved in approximately 1,200 cases at the Maryland Poison Center (MPC) in 2020. Let’s dive deeper into antihistamines and how to safely use them.
At the Maryland Poison Center (MPC), we talk a lot about poisons that are swallowed. But did you know we manage other types of poison exposures, too? Let’s look at other ways a person can be exposed to a poison, such as inhalation exposures.