Millions of adults in the United States have a chronic illness and are taking prescription medications to manage their condition.
Unfortunately, having one chronic illness can sometimes increase the risk of getting another one, along with the medications to treat it. But what happens when those medications counteract each other?
What is a contraindication?
When prescribing drugs, healthcare providers need to be aware of medication contraindications. These are situations in which a drug shouldn’t be used because the risks of taking it outweigh the therapeutic benefits, and it could cause harm to the patient. This helps ensure the provider makes a safe and informed decision before writing the prescription.
There are two types of contraindications:
- Absolute: There are no circumstances under which the medication should be given due to the significance of potential harm, i.e., giving aspirin to children, which could lead to Reye’s syndrome.
- Relative: The drug can be used with caution because the potential benefits outweigh the risks. For example, prescribing a mood stabilizer to a pregnant woman.
Medication contraindications are crucial in preventing patient harm and ensuring their treatment plan is personalized and tailored to meet their health conditions.
But what happens if those warnings are ignored? After all, contraindications are evidence-based rules developed to protect patients from preventable harm. Dismissing the warnings could result in permanent damage or even death. Depending on the circumstances, the patient or their loved ones could have cause for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Medical professionals have a “duty of care” towards their patients, meaning they are legally obligated to deliver care that meets a specific standard. Ignoring medical contraindications could be a situation where they acted recklessly and made a preventable error. If that breach of duty directly caused an adverse medical event, resulting in significant physical, emotional or financial damages, the injured party may be able to pursue compensation.
