Why should I make sure all my doctors know about all my medications?

Patients should bring an updated list of medications to every medical appointment. This enables primary care doctors and specialists to review current dosages before adding new drugs to the mix. The goal is to avoid harmful duplications of similar medications, addictions, accidental overdoses, unnecessary side effects and other problems created from potentially dangerous drug combinations.

Unintentional drug poisonings have spiked in the United States, with a five-fold increase since 1990, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But potential dangers are not limited to overdoses. Prescription drugs can react negatively with alcohol, your diet, weight changes or unrelated medical conditions, such as asthma or high blood pressure, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Cardiologists and other specialists have issued warnings about mixing grapefruits and grapefruit juice with some cholesterol-lowering medications, such as statins. The compounds in grapefruits and grapefruit juice block the enzymes used by the body to break down statins for effective use. Without the necessary enzymes, harmful levels of the medication can build in the body, which could lead to serious complications, including liver and kidney damage or death. The American Heart Association offers the following recommendations:

• Tell your doctor about any vitamins, herbal medicines or supplements that you are taking.
• Check in with your doctor before taking cold tablets or other over-the-counter medicines.