Have you ever been confused or scared by the warning labels on the bottle of your medicine from the pharmacy? Do you wonder what all these warnings mean?

Many of us have trouble reading and understanding health information that we receive from doctors, pharmacists, magazines, newspapers, websites as well as radio and TV.

If you have trouble reading and understanding health information you might "misunderstand" how you take your medicines. Sometimes these medicine misunderstandings can lead to serious problems that can result in:

• more trips to the doctor or hospital
• longer hospital stays
• higher health care costs
• more prescriptions

Do not take a prescription or nonprescription medicine if you do not understand all the information that comes with it. And if you think you need more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist for it.

Test yourself and see how well you understand these warnings for common prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

People who pick up prescriptions for Viagra® at the pharmacy may see a warning label that says, "Do not take with nitrates". What does this mean?

Many people think of explosives when they think of nitrates! However, nitrates are also a type of heart medicine. They include the medicines isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, and nitroglycerin that are available as sprays, patches, ointment or pills.

If you take nitrates with Viagra®, your blood pressure could drop too low and you may faint and hurt yourself. It could also be life threatening if your blood pressure suddenly drops too low. This is why you should not take Viagra if you are also taking nitrate medicines.

You go to the pharmacy to pick up pain medicine your doctor prescribed because you pulled a muscle. The medicine has the warning "If taking NSAIDs and this drug there may be a risk for stomach bleeding". Do you know what NSAID means?

NSAID stands for "non-steroidal anti-inflammatory". Usually you take these medicines for arthritis, muscle aches, headaches, or fever. There are many different types of NSAIDs. Over-the-counter NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®), naproxen (Aleve®), and aspirin. These may also be prescription. Some common prescription NSAIDs include ketoprofen (Orudis®), Celebrex® and Vioxx®, diclofenac (Voltaren®), and indomethacin (Indocin®). If your doctor gives you a prescription NSAID, you should not take any over-the-counter NSAIDs because you may be at risk for more side effects. Ask your pharmacist if you are not sure if the medicine you are taking is an NSAID.

A serious side effect of NSAIDs is stomach bleeding. Symptoms may include stomach pain, weight loss, feeling tired, heartburn, nausea, or vomiting that may look like coffee grounds. Sometimes there may not be any symptoms of a stomach ulcer. This is called a "silent ulcer". This is why it is also important to look at the color of your stools. If they look very dark or black in color, you may be bleeding from your stomach and may not even know it. It is important to call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.

You have a headache and want some Tylenol® to make it go away. Many prescription and over-the-counter products warn about the side effect Tylenol® may cause "liver problems". What are some of the signs of liver problems you should look for?

Truly understanding the words "liver problems" means you need to know the early warning signs that your liver may be in danger. If you know these signs, you could go to the doctor before a lot of damage is done to your liver.

Early signs of liver damage from Tylenol® are stomach upset and pain and loss of appetite. Other important signs and symptoms to watch for include vomiting, dark-colored urine and yellow color to the skin and the eyes.

Carefully read the labels of over-the-counter and prescription medicines you take for cold/flu or pain symptoms because many of these medicines also have Tylenol® (acetaminophen) in them. Ask your pharmacist to help you if you are not sure. Also, remember to not take Tylenol if you drink more than 3 alcoholic drinks per day. Alcohol and Tylenol® together may increase the chance that you will put your liver in danger.

You pick up a new prescription at the pharmacy for an antibiotic. You read the warning "avoid prolonged exposure to direct and/or artificial sunlight" on the prescription bottle. What is this warning really trying to tell you?

This warning is trying to tell you that the medicine may make your skin more sensitive to light. This may increase your chance of getting a sunburn. Some antibiotics, blood pressure medicines (usually fluid pills), and medicines used to treat mood problems may cause you to sunburn more easily. Sunburns may increase the chance that you will have wrinkles or skin cancer.

You need to be careful with both direct sunlight and artificial sunlight. Direct sunlight is outdoor sunlight. Artificial sunlight would be light from a tanning bed or sunlamp, not the kind of light in your home or office. People with fair skin and dark skin can be affected. You can protect yourself by doing the following:

• avoid tanning beds or sunlamps
• stay out of the sun as much as possible
• wear clothing that protects you from the sun
• use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 applied to the skin at least 30 minutes before going out in the sun
• sunscreen should not be used in place of avoiding the sun
• stay inside between the hours of 10am and 3pm since this is when you are most likely to get a sunburn

If you do not understand the warnings on your prescription or over-the-counter labels you could be putting yourself at risk for a serious problem. Pay attention to these warnings because the cost to treat these problems could be much higher than the initial price you paid for the drug.

Read, ask questions, and be persistent! Your pharmacist and doctor are wonderful resources and can give you valuable advice to help keep you healthy and safe.