Know the facts	Know your numbers	Know your risk factors	Manage your risk factors
Exercise for life	Eat heart healthy	Manage your stress	Work with your doctor
Additional Resources

Heart Health

Eight Steps to a Healthy Heart

Step Eight: Work with your doctor continued..

Federal Drug Administration's Tips for Taking Medicines

How to Get the Most Benefits with the Fewest Risks

Whether prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), no medicine is without risk. Besides benefits, medicines may cause side effects or allergic reactions, and they may be affected by interactions with foods, drinks, or other drugs.

For prescription drugs, a patient's first step to safe and effective treatment is to ask the doctor questions with each new prescription. For example:

• What is the medicine's name, and what is it supposed to do?
• How and when do I take it, and for how long?
• While taking this medicine, should I avoid:
• Certain foods or dietary supplements?
• Caffeine, alcohol, or other beverages?
• Other medicines, prescription and OTC?
• Certain activities, such as driving or smoking?
• Will this new medicine work safely with prescription and OTC medicines I'm already taking?
• Are there side effects, and what do I do if they occur?
• Will the medicine affect my sleep or activity level?
• What should I do if I miss a dose?
• Is there written information available about the medicine? (At the very least, ask the doctor or pharmacist to write out complicated directions and medicine names.)

Additional Resources

For more information on how to get the most benefits from your medication, click on FDA Tips for Taking Medicines.

It's wise to write down the answers to these questions immediately, to make sure you'll remember all the details.