About 700,000 people a year are rushed to hospital emergency rooms because of drug interactions, some involving mixing prescription medications with dietary and herbal supplements. 

Here are tips to avoid showing up on the doorstep of the nearest ER.

First, tell your doctor. More than 70 percent  of the supplement fans in a recent Harvard study said they never told their physicians they were taking herbal and dietary supplements, which could have set them up for dangerous interactions.

Then, health experts say, do these things:

•  Check to see if you have the correct dose when you pick up your prescription medication;

•  Know exactly how often to take it;

•  Research the possible side effects and allergic reactions, as well as overdose signs, and what to do if the symptoms occur;

•  Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should avoid certain foods, drinks, other medicines, or activities;

•  Ask your doctor if you'll need blood tests or other monitoring measures;

•  Call your doctor if you gain or lose a significant amount of weight, experience a change in diet or activity level, all of which might require changing the dose;

•  Never stop taking a prescribed drug, especially an anti-depressant, without notifying your doctor to avoid "withdrawal" symptoms;

•  Ask your doctor or pharmacist the same questions about any over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements or herbal products.

Sources: Journal of the American Medical Association, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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