Most patients are inconsistent with their prescription drug dosages, including those taking opioids, a new study says.
Quest Diagnostics surveyed nearly 76,000 laboratory tests and found that 63 percent of patient actions around prescription drug dosages were inconsistent with clinician orders, either missing doses or combining medications with other drugs without their physician's knowledge.
Among the highest rates of inconsistency with clinician orders were oxycodone (44 percent), central nervous system depressants including alprazolam (50 percent), and the stimulant amphetamine (48 percent).
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Quest Diagnostics surveyed nearly 76,000 laboratory tests and found that 63 percent of patient actions around prescription drug dosages were inconsistent with clinician orders, either missing doses or combining medications with other drugs without their physician's knowledge.
Among the highest rates of inconsistency with clinician orders were oxycodone (44 percent), central nervous system depressants including alprazolam (50 percent), and the stimulant amphetamine (48 percent).
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