Your medication questions answered

Your doctor prescribes medicines to help improve your condition or your symptoms. Some of the medicines may cause side effects, but often these are temporary and disappear after just a short time. Not everyone will experience side effects and you may have none at all.

Some side effects are because of the way the medicine works. For example, a medicine for treating high blood pressure could cause your blood pressure to fall too low and you may feel faint – this may mean your dosage isn’t right and you should go back to your doctor.

For more information about possible side effects of the medicines you are taking, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. Keep informed - read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine. The drugs used to treat heart conditions and risk factors are very safe. Dangerous side effects are rare, but if you’re worried about side effects or develop any new symptoms, it’s important to tell your doctor about them immediately.

The main thing is not to stop taking your prescribed medicines without talking to your doctor first, as this could possibly make your symptoms or condition worse. Your doctor may be able to adjust the dosage or change you onto a different medication to reduce your side effects.

Regular check-ups with your doctor will monitor how well your drugs are working and whether your medication or dose needs to be adjusted. For some types of medication you may also need regular blood tests to check the levels in your blood.

Often heart and circulatory medicines are preventative – they are taken to stop something happening to you, rather than responding to pain or discomfort. This means you can’t always ‘feel’ them working. However it’s very important to keep taking the medication that’s been prescribed for you, even if you think your condition is improving or you don’t notice the benefits. These medications reduce your risk of developing serious cardiovascular diseases and save lives in the long-term.

Many different medicines are used to treat the different types of heart and circulation disease, but they all belong to a few main types or categories. Medicines of each type are similar, but they may work in slightly different ways.

A single medicine may have several different names. Each one has:

• an official name (also called its generic name)
• one or more trade names (also called proprietary names) – given to it by its manufacturer

Occasionally, two drugs are combined in one tablet and have a single trade name.

When you buy over-the-counter medicine from a pharmacy or supermarket without a prescription such as cold, headache or hay fever medicine, always read the label carefully and check with your pharmacist or doctor whether it is safe to them with your prescribed medication.

Some people take herbal remedies, vitamins or other supplements which have not been prescribed by their doctor. Although you may find these products helpful, you should not consider them as substitutes for prescribed medication.

Herbal remedies, vitamins or other supplements can change the way your prescribed drugs work.

For example, recent research studies have shown that St John’s Wort, a popular herbal anti-depressant remedy, can affect the breakdown of certain drugs in the liver and therefore alter their effectiveness. The drugs that have been found to be affected by St John’s Wort include warfarin, digoxin, theophylline, anticonvulsants and some antidepressants. You should always check with your doctor before you take any supplements.

Many more of these products are unlicensed and virtually none have undergone clinical trials to establish whether they are safe or effective. Many of the products are not standardised, which means that the concentration of ingredients can vary between manufacturers, so you may be taking too much. This could cause potential health risks.

Find out more about non-pharmaceutical medicines and supplements, including how to safely buy them.

You should never share your medicines with other people or take other people’s medication.  They may be taking different doses or preparations of the medicine and it could cause harm, even if they have the same condition as you.

There are some medicines which pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take. If you need to take medicines for a heart condition, high blood pressure or high cholesterol your doctor will consider the risks to both you and your baby very carefully.

Generally, medicines should only be prescribed in pregnancy if the expected benefit to the mother is thought to be greater than the risk to the baby.

If you do need to take medicines, you will be given the safest one available – usually one that has been extensively tested and found to be safest for use in pregnancy. You should always talk to your doctor or midwife before taking any medicines – even ones you can buy over the counter without a prescription.

Most medicines should be stored in a cool dry place. Although it’s common to store medication in the kitchen or bathroom these are both warm and damp places so somewhere like your bedside cabinet would be better. Don’t leave your medication on a windowsill in the sunlight or keep them in your car. Always keep you medication out of the sight and reach of children and pets.

Where possible, you should keep your medication in its original packaging. The packaging is designed to protect your medicine and it can also help you keep track of how much you have taken. Never take medicines that have changed in colour, consistency or odour.