Medicine pack check sheet

Source-linked reading points

• Somnolence, sedation, fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth and constipation are common. Older adults, night-time rising or co-use of sedating/blood-pressure medicines requires priority review of alertness, gait, orthostatic pressure and falls. Severe somnolence, fainting, injury or altered awareness needs local emergency care.
• Bradycardia, conduction abnormalities and hypotension require review with pulse, symptoms and the complete medicine list. If a beta blocker, digoxin, verapamil, diltiazem or another heart-rate/blood-pressure medicine is also present, do not self-space, adjust or choose one to stop first.
• Abrupt clonidine withdrawal can cause a rapid pressure rise, headache, nervousness or agitation and tremor; rare severe events can be life-threatening. Risk needs particular attention at higher doses or with a beta blocker. Do not abruptly stop from a webpage or ask it to generate a taper schedule.
• Vomiting, inability to eat or drink, missed medicine, hospital admission, surgery or an empty pack requires prompt contact with the prescriber or pharmacist about continuity. The site cannot calculate catch-up use, a substitute formulation or a temporary plan.