The perils of mixing medicines Newhouse News Service TAKING conflicting medications is one of the major causes of emergency hospitalizations for older adults. A study by the SMART Coalition in Sacramento said medication misuse costs about $76.5 billion annually through hospitalization, long-term care, physician care, emergency department treatment and additional prescription costs. The study also found that improper medication usage is responsible for 10 percent of all hospital admissions. Patients who see more than one doctor for different conditions could get prescriptions for medications that sometimes interact negatively. Add vitamins, supplements, minerals, herbal medications, even over-the-counter products such as antacids, and the chances for interaction increase. To avoid medication complications: a.. Tell doctors and pharmacists all of the prescriptions and over-the-counter medications you are taking. b.. Always take medications as prescribed. c.. Never double up or accelerate dosages. d.. Never take medications prescribed for other people. e.. Do not stop taking medication when symptoms disappear; the illness or its cause may return. Adverse drug reactions may be responsible for more than 100,000 deaths in U.S. hospitals each year, making it one of the leading causes of death, according to an article last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association. ``I've had physicians call me from the E.R. and say, `I have Jane Smith here. What is she taking?' '' says Lou Greco, a pharmacist and director of external professional programs at the Rutgers College of Pharmacy in New Jersey. ``The problem is if Jane doesn't get all her medications at your location.'' Then the physician is given incomplete information. Write down all prescriptions and over-the-counter medications taken regularly so you can take a list with you to the hospital, Greco says.