Also called: Side effects

Most of the time, medicines make our lives better. They reduce aches and pains, fight infections, and control problems such as high blood pressure or diabetes. But medicines can also cause unwanted reactions.

One problem is interactions, which may occur between

  • Two drugs, such as aspirin and blood thinners
  • Drugs and food, such as statins and grapefruit
  • Drugs and supplements, such as ginkgo and blood thinners
  • Drugs and diseases, such as aspirin and peptic ulcers

Interactions can change the actions of one or both drugs. The drugs might not work, or you could get side effects.

Side effects are unwanted effects caused by the drugs. Most are mild, such as a stomach aches or drowsiness, and go away after you stop taking the drug. Others can be more serious.

Drug allergies are another type of reaction. They can be mild or life-threatening. Skin reactions, such as hives and rashes, are the most common type. Anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction, is more rare.

When you start a new prescription or over-the-counter medication, make sure you understand how to take it correctly. Know which other medications and foods you need to avoid. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

Also called: Vaccination

Shots may hurt a little, but the diseases they can prevent are a lot worse. Some are even life-threatening. Immunization shots, or vaccinations, are essential. They protect against things like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Immunizations are important for adults as well as children.

Your immune system helps your body fight germs by producing substances to combat them. Once it does, the immune system “remembers” the germ and can fight it again. Vaccines contain germs that have been killed or weakened. When given to a healthy person, the vaccine triggers the immune system to respond and thus build immunity.

Before vaccines, people became immune only by actually getting a disease and surviving it. Immunizations are an easier and less risky way to become immune.

NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Posted in

Get Testing Supplies from $8/Month

Glucose Meter

FDA-approved. Results in 4 seconds. Requires tiny 0.4 µL sample size.

Control Solution

Perfect tool to ensure test strips are providing accurate results.

Test Strips

Accurate test strips that support re-dosing.

Lancing Device

Five depth settings for maximum comfort

Lancets

Universal design that is compatible with most lancing devices.

Carrying Case

High-quality materials to store and protect testing supplies.