JOPLIN, Mo. — It can be a simple, but potentially lifesaving bit of homework.

Checking your medications to make sure they’re working for — and not against you. Action 12’s Gretchen Bolander takes that angle in tonight’s KODE Medical Focus.

“It is a great reminder for us to understand the importance our medications play in our wellness and in our lives. And this is an opportunity for us to make sure we know about the medications we take and understand how to best take them and optimize what they do for us,” said Greg Cobble, Freeman Pharmacy Op.

On the other hand, not knowing can have a negative impact on your health.

“Sometimes we may not realize an OTC medication might have multiple ingredients in it and a prescription medicine can have the same ingredients in it. We can sometimes double up without knowing and have diverse effects,” said Cobble.

So building a complete list of both prescriptions and over the counter drugs is important now, in the event a health crisis happens later.

“I think the key is always knowledge – we can help protect ourselves the more we know about our medications – I would encourage you to always know the name of the medications, the brand name, the generic name, how often you take it, what it’s supposed to do for you, and possible side effects,” said Cobble.