WASHINGTON (AP) -- Tips to avoid medication errors, including mix-ups of drugs whose names look or sound alike:

-Ask your doctor what drug is being prescribed, at what dose, and for written instructions for use.

-Ask your doctor to write a short description of the diagnosis directly on the prescription -- "for heart" or "for allergies" -- right next to the drug name. That helps pharmacists avoid confusion if two drugs have similar names but treat different conditions.

-Check the label on the drug bottle before leaving the pharmacy, to ensure the name is what your doctor told you. If it's a refill, open the bottle to make sure the pills are the same color, shape, size and dosage as the original prescription. Ask the pharmacist if there's any doubt.

-Keep a frequently updated list of all your medications in your wallet, ready to share with the doctor or pharmacist before getting a new prescription or starting a new over-the-counter drug. The list is key to spotting drugs that might interact dangerously with one another.

-If your drugstore doesn't provide leaflets with drug instructions and side effect warnings, ask your pharmacist for one.

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