Navigating the Benefits and Risks of Prescription Medications

New medications are being developed constantly, including new treatments for blood cancers, lung cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, genetic diseases, muscular dystrophy, migraine, and weight loss. Thanks to frequent consumer-focused advertising, you probably hear about new medications for a wide range of health issues almost every day.

Some may be medications for conditions you’re living with, motivating you to do an Internet deep dive to learn more or ask your doctor to prescribe the new medication. Finding reliable, evidence-based information can be time-consuming and understanding the benefits or risks of new medications can be challenging. But working with your PinnacleCare Health Advisory team can streamline the process and ensure that the information you receive is up-to-date and evidence based. Your Health Advisor can help you develop a list of questions for your healthcare provider and even attend appointments with you in-person or virtually to discuss the benefits and risks of new medications.

Weighing the benefits and risks

All medications, even over the counter ones, carry both health benefits and risks. Your healthcare provider weighs those benefits and risks when prescribing medications. For example, some cholesterol medications can cause digestive system problems or muscle pain, but your provider believes that the value of lowering your cholesterol levels, and with it lowering your risk of heart attack and stroke, outweighs the side effects you may experience.

Understanding the potential side effects, benefits, and risks can help you make informed decisions about the medications you take. When your healthcare provider prescribes a new medication, ask these questions to learn more:

• Why are you prescribing this medication?
• Did randomized, double-blind studies find this medication to be safe and effective for my condition?
• Are there evidence-based non-drug approaches I can try first, for example, diet and exercise to lower cholesterol or blood sugar?
• What are the risks and benefits of taking this medication or choosing not to take it?
• What are the potential side effects of this medication and which ones require medical attention?
• How long will it take before this medication starts to work?
• How long do I need to take this medication?
• Are there any potential interactions with other medications or supplements I take?
• Are there foods or drinks that I should avoid while taking this medication?
• Are there any tests that are needed while I’m taking this medication?
• If this medication doesn’t achieve the desired result, what’s the next treatment option?

Especially with newer medications, you may also want to find out what the cost of the drug is. Even with insurance, some medications can cost thousands of dollars a month and tens of thousands if they are not covered by insurance.

Lower the risk of interactions and adverse reactions

If you take several medications or regularly take over the counter medicines or supplements, it’s wise to check that any newly prescribed medications won’t interact with them or increase the risk of serious side effects. These proactive measures can lower the risk of a medication interaction or adverse reaction:

• Keep an updated list of all the prescription medications, over-the-counter-drugs, and supplements you take. If you see more than one provider, make sure the list is included in your medical record with each healthcare provider.
• Check for potential interactions. You can double check for potential interactions by using a drug interaction checker like this one developed by Medscape.
• Do an annual medication review with your provider. Bring all your medications to your primary care provider and ask them to review each medication. They may uncover medications you no longer need, dosages that may need to be changed, or medications that may interact.
• Check with your provider or pharmacist before taking an over-the-counter medication. Some prescription medications contain drugs that are also available without a prescription, such as the anti-inflammatory medications ibuprofen or naproxen. Ask if the over-the-counter medication contains duplicative ingredients or could interact with your prescription medications.
• Ask if the medication is being prescribed off label. Off label prescribing means prescribing a drug for uses that have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The practice is legal and fairly common. There are a number of reasons providers prescribe off label:
  • For patients whose conditions have not responded to approved therapies
  • Because a drug shows promise treating a condition in early trials, but it has not yet received FDA approval
  • For cancer patients whose tumors have mutations that make them good candidates for a therapy used to target that mutation in another type of cancer
  • To treat rare conditions for which no drug maker has specifically developed a treatment
  • For patients who are not often included in clinical study populations, such as children, women and people with advanced disease

Ask your provider what evidence there is to support off label prescribing for your condition and what potential risks and benefits there are to taking this medication off label.

The support of a PinnacleCare Health Advisor

The PinnacleCare team is always available to answer questions about medications from our members. Our dedicated team of PhD medical researchers work diligently to review the latest research and provide members with information on new drugs and evidence-based best practices. In collaboration with PinnacleCare Medical Directors, Health Advisors create personal health summaries for our members, making it easier to share medical records with different providers.

To learn more about how PinnacleCare can support your health needs, contact a Relationship Manager today.