Apparent treatment failure has several causes: wrong dose, absorption problems, drug interactions, a wrong diagnosis, and non-adherence. Asking open, specific questions finds adherence problems without blame, and a short review of the medicine list catches the rest.
- Ask how the medicine is actually taken: timing, food, and missed doses in the past week.
- Review interacting drugs, including over-the-counter and herbal products.
- Confirm the dose is right for weight and kidney function.
- Reconsider the diagnosis if the response is still poor.
Why it matters
Labelling a patient non-adherent too early damages trust and misses fixable causes.
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