Many modern treatment plans focus specifically on medications that address symptoms or treat their underlying causes. There are drugs that help control blood pressure and blood sugar, as well as medications that can help people dealing with infections.
As doctors determine the best course of treatment, they look at not just the patient’s symptoms or diagnosis but also their personal history, their unique medical challenges and even their current prescriptions. Those details can influence the best course of treatment and even the dosage of the medication prescribed.
In some cases, physicians make negligent errors during the prescribing process because they do not follow best practices. They may fail to note critical contraindications, resulting in a patient having a bad reaction to medication.
What are contraindications?
Contraindications are specific circumstances or characteristics that either reduce the effectiveness of a medication or increase the likelihood of an adverse reaction. For example, antibiotics can sometimes affect how well hormonal birth control works.
There are numerous underlying medical conditions and pre-existing prescriptions that can serve as contraindications for specific courses of treatment. When physicians fail to identify contraindications for a specific medication and adjust their choices accordingly, patients can suffer significant medical setbacks.
Patients should be able to trust their doctors to make effective treatment decisions, including choosing medications that are safe for them to use. The failure to address known issues represents a deviation from best standards that could constitute medical malpractice.
Prescribing mistakes and other medication errors are a common form of malpractice. When those errors cause medical issues and other losses for patients, it may be possible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Taking legal action can potentially help patients and their families to recoup the losses generated by negligent medical care.