wheezing, you should immediately re-
port it to a hospital staff member,” Ber-
enholtz advises.
side effect: Confusion, agitation
what it feels like: You don’t know
whether you’re coming or going
possible culprits: Anti-anxiety med-
ications, sleep aids, being in an unfa- Sound-Alike Drugs
miliar place With thousands of drugs approved by the Food & Drug Administration, it’s no surprise that
Being away from home can be some names of medications (both brand names and generics) can sound very similar to one
enough to cause confusion but anti- another. To help your providers avoid a possible mix-up with your prescription, be sure to
anxiety and sleep drugs can also some- double-check the name and dosage of all your prescriptions, and especially new ones, with
times be to blame for that disoriented your doctor and pharmacist and scan the list below (taken from a more complete list published
or anxious feeling, says Berenholtz. Let by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices) to see if it includes any drugs you’re taking. For
a nurse know if you feel strange or just more information and the full list of medications, go to ismp.org/Tools/confuseddrugnames.pdf.
out of the ordinary, even if you think it
might be nothing, he suggests. DRUG NAME DRUG(S) It CAN bE CoNfUSED wIth
Anzemet (anti-nausea) Avandamet (diabetes)
side effect: Drop in blood pressure Celebrex (pain reliever) Celexa (antidepressant)
what it feels like: Dizziness, light- Coumadin (blood thinner) Avandia (diabetes)
headedness, feeling faint Cardura (hypertension)
possible culprits: Antidepressants, Fentanyl (narcotic pain reliever) Sufentanil (anesthesia)
diuretics, sedatives, blood pressure Invanz (antibiotic) Avinza (narcotic pain reliever)
medications Metformin (diabetes) Metronidazole (antibiotic)
If you feel dizzy or faint when you Neulasta (promotes growth of Lunesta (sleep aid)
get up too quickly one of these drugs white-blood cells) Neumega (interleukin)
may be causing that side effect—or it Paxil (antidepressant) Doxil (cancer medication)
could be another med. “Low blood pres- Plavix (anti-clotting medication)
sure can cause light-headedness, which Taxol (cancer medication)
can result in a fall,” Berenholtz explains. Restoril (sleep aid) Risperdal (antipsychotic)
Falls are a particular risk when you’re in Zyprexa (antipsychotic) Celexa (antidepressant)
the hospital and a severe one could in- Reprexain (pain reliever)
jure vital organs and cause broken bones. Zestril (hypertension)
Zyrtec (antihistamine)
side effect: Drowsiness Zyvox (antibiotic) Zovirax (herpes medication)
what it feels like: You can’t keep your
eyes open
possible culprits: Sleep aids, narcotic side effect: Stomach/GI problems hospital is itself a difficult experience
pain relievers (often given following what it feels like: Diarrhea, constipa- for most of us, stress could be contribut-
surgery), anti-anxiety medications tion, nausea, vomiting ing to any digestive or gastrointestinal
e
s

If you’re having trouble sleeping in possible culprits: Antibiotics (diarrhea, problems you’re having. So while it can
g
a
the hospital—a common problem—you nausea, vomiting), pain medications be tough, do what you can to keep
i
m
e
r
probably want the drowsy feeling that (constipation, nausea, vomiting), stress anxiety under control, Berenholtz adds.
p
i
t
a sleep aid brings on. But keep in mind Narcotic painkillers often lead to a Talking to your providers should
/
j
u
e
s
g
that when you’re taking several drugs stopped-up bowel and may cause an always be your first step, but you can
a
i
s
c
d
i
m o
t
sleepiness can be increased, notes Hus- upset stomach and vomiting, cautions also report a serious problem with a
e
r
o
sar. “The sedative effect of any one Hussar, but so too can pain relievers drug or dietary supplement to the Food
p
i
t
i
/
p
h
medication may not be enough to cause like ibuprofen when taken at higher & Drug Administration’s MedWatch
e
/
j
u
s
h
c
o
r
t
u
a problem,” he says, but combining two doses. Keep an eye out for diarrhea in program (www.fda.gov/Safety/Med-

hi
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e

s
o
a
or more together—say, if you’re taking particular, which if severe could result Watch/; 800.332.1088). tp
g h
a
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a sleep aid and a pain drug—may be in dehydration and the need for intra- maureen healy is a freelance health

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© © more problematic. venous fluids. And since being in the writer based in California.
the patient magazine 2010 11
PT010__0FVP0_SP10DEPTrxwatch.indd 11 2/9/10 8:02 AM
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