Pay Attention to the Dosage When Taking Medication
Many patients have a bad habit of not paying attention to the dosage when taking medication. They drink a sip of medicine when they have a cough, or swallow a few pills when they have a cold. This habit is not good. It is important to know that the dosage is the amount of medication to be taken, and the appropriate dosage range for each medication is determined through repeated practice and research by experts.
Within a certain range, the size of the medication dosage and its concentration in the body are directly proportional to the strength of the medication's effects. An overdose can cause toxicity, while an insufficient dosage cannot exert its therapeutic effects. The dosage stated in the instructions is the appropriate amount required for treating the disease.
Usually, the minimum dosage at which the therapeutic effect appears is referred to as the "minimum effective dose." The maximum dosage that the body can tolerate without causing toxicity is called the "maximum dose," which is the limit for safe medication use. Dosages that exceed the maximum dose and cause qualitative changes, toxicity, or death in patients are respectively referred to as the "toxic dose" and "lethal dose." The "recommended dose" is the most suitable therapeutic dose for most people, falling between the minimum effective dose and the maximum dose.
There is a significant variation in individual differences among people, and the recommended dose is not necessarily the most appropriate dosage for everyone. Some people may be particularly sensitive to certain medications, while others may not be sensitive at all. This phenomenon is similar to the varying tolerance levels to ethanol when drinking alcohol. Therefore, when using medication at home, it is important to consult a doctor in advance and adjust the dosage accordingly based on the patient's previous reactions.
The currently mentioned recommended dose refers to the average dosage for patients aged 16-60. The dosage for elderly, pregnant, pediatric, and patients with impaired liver or kidney function should be appropriately reduced. In order to select the appropriate dosage, it is necessary to observe the patient's reactions after taking the medication, such as blood pressure, heart rate, facial color, and expression, as a basis for judging the safety of the medication dosage.
