We've been talking quite a bit lately about prescriptions. Here's another tip. It's such a simple thing, and it can have devastating results if no one catches it in time . . .

What do the following pairs of drug names have in common:

Atenolol - Tenormin
Warfarin - Coumadin
Lanoxin - Digoxin
Temazepam - Restoril
Naproxin - Naprosyn

If you answered that one of each pair is the brand name, and one is the generic, you would be right.

Would your elder know that the container labeled Atenolol is essentially the same medication that last month came labeled as Tenormin? How about if the tablets don't look the same?

Would you?

Ask the pharmacist to make a note in the computer to always label generic drugs as "substituted for" the brand name if there's a change being made from one to the other.

Samples from the doctor's office are almost always branded. When the doctor writes a prescription to be filled at the pharmacy it may well be for a generic. They don't always look the same, and they will certainly be labeled differently.

This can cause confusion. If the patient doesn't realize or doesn't want to admit to confusion, bad things can happen. Get both names on the container.