| Medical malpractice premiums are at an all-time | | | | These figures are terrifying to anyone entering a |
| high in this country. Nearly 200,000 people die in | | | | hospital for a surgical procedure or an illness. His |
| hospitals every year due to possibly preventable | | | | condition may already be life-threatening or |
| medical errors. A huge proportion of those errors | | | | debilitating. The patient doesn't need the added |
| involve improper medication. A person allergic to | | | | risk of death due to an improper mixture of |
| penicillin is given amoxicillin; someone taking a drug | | | | medications. An ambulatory outpatient keeping an |
| is prescribed one that is contra-indicated with the | | | | eye on his own treatment can monitor the |
| one he's already using. | | | | situation by researching medications or reading the |
| In addition, certain foods or nutritive supplements | | | | literature that accompanies his prescription. An |
| shouldn't be taken with certain medications: | | | | inpatient is pretty much dependent upon his |
| grapefruit, for example, is not to be eaten by a | | | | caretakers to take care in the administration of |
| person taking the anti-seizure medication often | | | | medication. He is unlikely to have the option of |
| prescribed for neurological pain, such as diabetic | | | | researching any drugs prescribed, and family may |
| neuralgia. The juice of the fruit slows the | | | | not be aware of a conflict. |
| breakdown of the drug and the relief of pain. | | | | |