• Medication histories are important in preventing prescription errors and consequent risks to patients.
• Apart from preventing prescription errors, accurate
medication histories are also useful in detecting drug-related pathology or
changes in clinical signs resulting from drug therapy.
• A good medication history should encompass all
currently and recently prescribed drugs, previous adverse drug reactions
including hypersensitivity reactions, any over-the-counter medications
including; herbal or alternative medicines, and adherence to therapy for a
better health care plan.
• A complete medication history identifies patients’ needs
and explores their perspective of illness and its treatment (needs and
concerns).