Question

Why is it important to know what medications a patient is taking as a part of a nutritional assessment?

Answer 1

A nutritional assessment provides patients and healthcare providers with an overall picture of their health and nutrition which plays a major in treatment plan and even fast recovery of the patient. The overall health of the body with regards to nutrition, dietary habits, and weight is an important factor in identifying any possible health risks or health problems and preventing and treating diseases.

The patients nutrient and gastrointestinal status has correlation to each other in some aspects. It's important to know what medications the patient is taking because many medications can affect the gastrointestinal health.

Certain medications might interfere with the absorption of nutrients, digestion, and metabolism. On the flip side, having nutritional deficiencies can also impact the effectiveness of and medications.

▪ Patients might have allergy few drug combination as well as food

▪ Drug _food reaction can occur

▪ Drugs can affects few biochemical level variations, these has to be checked by assessment

▪ Few medication has to administer by BMI of patient, if it not upto level, has to improved by proper nutrition

Thus it is very important to know the medication history as a part of nutritional assessment.