While doing the medication reconciliation, my biggest concern was the effects of medications on my patients’ body after losing weight. I am worried his anti-hypertension medication is going to cause hypotension if the dosage is too high. His heart burn medication is a drug that can also cause dizziness, so my patient would need to be aware of the effects the drug has and if he is experiencing any adverse effects. My concerns were not age related, but weight related. With recent weight loss, I believe he should speak to his doctor about the dosing of his medication and even what medications he can possibly stop taking. I was happy that the patient knew why he was taking each medication and some of the more important adverse effects. He knew to report frequent dizziness to his doctor and if he was feeling drowsy not to drive. This is important for his safety, as well as the safety of others around him. No two medications did the same thing, so I did not need to include this in my teaching. He reported in the past having two medications for heart burn, but he is now only on one. The one medication interaction my patient was not 100% aware of was the risk of drinking alcohol with his lorazepam. He was told to avoid excessive alcohol intake while on this medication, but he does not report knowing that the combination can cause sedation. After being informed of this dangerous interaction, he now knows not to mix this drug with any alcohol unless it is an emergency.
