Confusing drug names major source of medical errors

A new report finds confusing drug names are a major source of medical errors. How do you avoid becoming a victim?

A report by the institute of medicine found that at least 1.5 million Americans are injured every year by medication errors.

These errors include everything from incorrect drug dosing to improperly labeled prescription bottles.

But a new report from researchers at US Pharmacopeia finds that many medication mix-ups are caused by drug names that look or sound too much alike.

For example, Zyrtec, a popular pill for allergies, sounds very similar to Zantec, which treats heartburn.

Researchers examined thousands of records submitted to a medical error database and found look-alike and sound-alike drugs are on the rise.

There were nearly 3,200 pairs of similar drugs in 2006, nearly double the 1,800 for 2004.

Researchers say prescription labels should include what condition the drug is for — such as allergies or a sedative — to reduce confusion.

Patients can lower their risk of drug error by keeping a complete list of all their medications, and by making sure they know the proper way to take them.