Question

A prescription written for amlodipine 5 mg, quantity 30 tablets, instructions take one tablet by mouth once daily, is written with PRN refills. The patient requests a refill roughly every 10 days. Should you refill the prescription at this frequency?

Answer 1

A prescription with 30 tablets of amlodipine 5 mg to be taken daily should last for 30 days. If a patient requests a refill every 10 days, this is a potential sign of incorrect use and warrants further investigation. Consultation with the healthcare provider is recommended to ensure patient safety.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a prescription for amlodipine 5 mg is issued with directions to take one tablet once daily and with PRN refills (as needed), the typical expectation is that the patient will consume the medication daily. Therefore, a quantity of 30 tablets should last for 30 days. If the patient is requesting a refill approximately every 10 days, this is a red flag for potential misuse or misunderstanding of the medication instructions. It is essential to address this issue with the patient and possibly consult with the prescribing healthcare professional for clarification and to ensure the patient's safety.

Correct usage of the medication should involve taking the prescribed dose, which in this case would translate to one tablet, equating to 5 mg of amlodipine, every day, and not more frequently. Hence, there should be no need for refills every 10 days unless permitted by the healthcare provider based on specific circumstances pertaining to the patient's health condition.