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It is most scientific to take medicine while standing, but it is not advisable to take medicine lying down.
The action of taking the medicine should be gentle.
Drink water to moisten the mouth and throat, and the capsules should be lowered.
Do not lie down after eating, some medicines should lie down as soon as possible.
The lying posture is particular, lie on the side to see the condition.
Be sure to drink water when taking medicine, drink more and see less medicine.
It is safest to take with water, other beverages should be avoided.
The water temperature should be low rather than high, as high temperature will damage the efficacy of the medicine.
Enteric-coated slow-release and controlled-release, breaking it up and soaking it in water is not enough.
Chewable tablets should be chewed and eaten, and if you do not know how to ask your doctor.
There is so much knowledge about taking medicine, come and learn it carefully~
The information in this article is only for popular science, does not constitute a diagnosis and treatment recommendation, and cannot replace a doctor’s individual judgment on a specific patient.
From childhood to adulthood, everyone has taken medicine more or less~ But do you know the correct “posture” for taking medicine?
1
The correct “posture” for taking medicine
It is most scientific to take medicine while standing, but it is not advisable to take medicine lying down
Standing is the most scientific posture for taking medicine. Our esophagus itself has 3 physiological narrowings, where food is easy to retain and freeze. When we stand upright, the esophagus is in a natural vertical state, which is conducive to the smooth “glide” of the drug into the stomach and absorption as soon as possible.
Sit, especially lying down, taking medicine, the medicine is easy to stick to the esophagus wall, Adhesive medicine will irritate and even corrode the esophagus wall.
If it is difficult to stand, at least sit up straight when taking the medicine.
Take the medicine gently, it is not good to swallow it with your neck up
Some people take medicine with a kind of imposing manner of seeing death, and they swallow their necks violently. This action of taking medicine is not advisable, prone to choking, especially the elderly and children.
It is best to take your medicine slowly. Proper use of the following tips will help you take your medicines smoothly.
Drink two sips of water before taking the medicine to avoid dry mouth and the medicine sticking to the tongue or mucous membranes of the mouth.
In the case of tablets, raise your head slightly after drinking water, the tablet is closer to the throat, which is easier to swallow.
In the case of capsules, lower your head a little after drinking water, the capsules are lighter and floatier and closer to the throat.
2
The “posture” after taking the medicine is also important
Don’t generally “lie down” right away
In general, do not lie down immediately after taking the medicine, exercise for 5-10 minutes, some medicines will ask not to lie down for 30 minutes To avoid drug retention in the esophagus, delay the effect.
Some medicines are laid down early
Some special medicines require you to lie down as soon as possible after taking the medicine, and also require different “laying positions” according to the purpose of treatment.
Fast-acting sleeping pills require relief as soon as possible after taking the pills to avoid accidents.
After taking nitroglycerin, you should be in a semi-recumbent position, which is good for quick relief of angina while Avoid passing out due to orthostatic hypotension.
Drugs for gastric ulcers, took different sleeping regimens according to different sites of ulcers position , so that the drug can fully contact the ulcer surface and promote ulcer healing. For example, in the treatment of gastric fundus thick-walled ulcers, it is best to lie on the back after taking the medicine; for the treatment of ulcers on the posterior wall of the gastric body, it is best to use the left lateral position after taking the medicine.
3
What water should I drink while taking my medicine? How much to drink?
The posture of taking medicine is very important. It is also important to drink what water and how much when taking medicine.
It is safest to take with water, avoid other beverages
Water will do. As for whether it is boiled tap water, or pure water or mineral water, it is up to people to be frugal.
But do not take the medicine with beverages such as sugar water, milk, tea, coffee, fruit juice, alcohol, etc., which will react with the active ingredients in the medicine and affect the efficacy of the medicine.
Use tea to take iron supplements for anemia. The tannins in tea will combine with iron and weaken the effect.
Using fruit juice or acidic beverages to take antipyretic and analgesic drugs such as compound aspirin will accelerate the dissolution of the drugs, damage the gastric mucosa, and even cause gastric mucosal bleeding.
Do not drink milk or antacids or alkaline medicines for 0.5 hours after eating potassium bismuth citrate and bismuth pectin for stomach problems.
Water temperature should be lower than higher
Ambient temperature water around 40°C, or if you prefer a little cooler. The temperature of water for taking medicine and drinking should be low rather than high.
Like digestion aids (such as enzymes, probiotics, active proteins, etc.), vitamins, probiotics , Live vaccine, etc., the high water temperature will destroy the active ingredients of the drug/vaccine and affect the effect.
How much water you drink depends on the name of the medicine
It is appropriate to drink 60-150ml of water each time you take your medicine.
Some people call themselves warriors who can swallow medicine dry without drinking water. This is very dangerous behavior.
On the one hand, drugs tend to stay in the esophagus and cause damage;
On the other hand, medicines cannot be effective until they are disintegrated. There is not enough water to help the medicines dissolve, and the medicines work slowly.
But there are always special circumstances, some medicines require more water, and some medicines require less water.
Drink more water after eating
If you are taking gout medicines, you should drink plenty of water to prevent the formation of stones, and keep your urine output above 2000ml every day.
Drink more water when taking drugs for treating stones to reduce the concentration of salts in the urine and reduce sedimentation.
When taking sulfonamides, you should drink plenty of water and sodium bicarbonate to prevent crystalluria.
Oral Rehydration Salts(ORS), according to the instructions, add enough cold water to dissolve each bag and take it.
Drink less water when you eat or drink more water later
The well-known montmorillonite powder for diarrhea treatment requires only 50ml of water when taking it, and it should be taken before and after Don’t drink a lot of water. If your montmorillonite powder doesn’t work well, first check to see if you drink too much water when you take the medicine and before and after taking the medicine.
mucosal protectantMazulin granules for treating gastritis, gastric ulcer and other diseases, only 15-30ml Take it with water to protect the gastric mucosa at a higher concentration.
When treating chronic nephritis, hypertension, edema and other diseases, it is necessary to control water intake, and it is advisable to reduce water intake when taking medicine .
After taking cough syrups, drink 15 minutes later, as the medication coats the inflamed throat mucosa to provide protection Film, relieves the inflammatory response of the mucous membrane, blocks irritation, relieves cough.
Finally, I would like to remind everyone, Don’t break the medicine or dissolve it in water at your own discretion because you can’t swallow it when you take it >, this will also affect the efficacy of the drug! Especially enteric-coated tablets and slow/controlled release agents. Unless it says “chewables“, must be chewed.
Reminder
The actual situation includes but is not limited to the medicines mentioned in this article. How to take the medicines you are taking, it is best to ask the clinical pharmacist, the doctor who prescribes the medicines, and carefully read the medicine instructions .
Have you learned the correct “posture” for taking medicine? Fast forward to parents and family members~
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References
[1] Liu Rong. Common medication misunderstandings and medication guidance[J]. Journal of Clinical Rational Drug Use, 2015, 000(010):172-174.
[2] Guo Heling. Talking about the medication guidance of oral drugs[J]. China Journal of Health and Nutrition, 2014, 24(005):2818-2819.