Drugs: Read Fine Print to Avoid Side Effects

Pat H. awoke one recent morning with cold symptoms. She reached into her medicine cabinet for a well-known over-the-counter cold remedy she had often used in the past.

An hour later, Pat was on the phone to her physician, describing in a panicky voice the heart palpitations, shortness of breath and blurry vision she was experiencing.

It turned out that Pat, whose physician had recently put her on a prescription antidepressant, was experiencing the frightening results of an interaction between the two drugs. Fortunately, the effects were mild and wore off within a few hours.

But Pat's experience illustrates the value of reading the information that comes with all drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter medications. "Had I read the circular that came with my prescription, I would have known not to take the sinus medication," Pat says. "As it was, I didn't read it until after the fact, and by then I was a nervous wreck. I thought I was going to die."

You see plenty of this type of information these days, because many manufacturers of prescription drugs regularly advertise in magazines and newspapers. Such information is also available with over-the-counter drugs and with any prescription drugs you may use. (If your pharmacist doesn't hand you the information leaflet with your prescription, don't hesitate to ask for it.)

Are you supposed to read all of it?

Increasing numbers of consumers are asking that question these days. In fact, the "fine print" is what's officially known in the industry as "Prescribing Information" or "Patient Information." It's required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to balance claims made in the actual drug advertisement.

Experts agree that consumers who want to be fully informed should read the fine print connected with any drug that they intend to use.

This information might at first appear to be a bit frightening. FDA regulations require drug advertisements to carry a list of every side effect that occurred during testing, whether it affected 25 out of 100 patients or just 1 out of 5,000 patients. For example, the Patient Information that accompanies a magazine ad for a typical drug might state that the drug can cause dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision and even hepatitis, a sometimes-fatal liver disease.

That may sound like a good reason to avoid the drug, but you need to put the information into context, experts say. Given the right circumstances, every drug can causes side effects -- even aspirin.

Under no circumstances should you use either drug advertisements or the package inserts that come with most medication to diagnose yourself or decide whether a particular prescription drug is appropriate for your situation.

The American Pharmaceutical Association, which represents 44,000 pharmacists nationwide, recommends that its members offer patients both written information and face-to-face guidance regarding the medicines they are taking.