Written by Marchelle Abrahams
Jane Ryde started keeping a record of her husband’s erratic behavior when he was put on Pramipexole to treat his Parkinson’s. The drug falls under a group called dopamine agonists. Prescribed for other conditions such as restless legs syndrome (RLS), it increases dopamine activity and overstimulates the brain’s reward system.
In her husband’s case, the impulsive behavior manifested as addiction to pornography. When she read about the side effects, doctors assured her it was “uncommon.” But her husband’s heightened sexual urges proved otherwise.
Ryde tells the BBC that her late partner would have been “horrified” by his own behavior. “You have to go into these things with your eyes open. If you’re not given the details, you don’t know what to look out for.” – Jane Ryde.
Side effects that have been deemed “uncommon” or “rare” should no longer be treated as such. When a patient presents an ailment that doesn’t correlate with their illness or diagnosis, the next step is to take a closer look at their medication.
Below, we’ll discuss medication side effects nurses should never overlook.
Pramipexole
Following a BBC probe into the side effects of Parkinson’s medications, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) decided to take a closer look.
The BBC’s investigation found that around one in six people with Parkinson’s disease who take these medications develop impulse control disorders (ICDs). This tracks another 2021 study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Impulse Control Disorders
Study researchers concluded that as understanding of ICDs grows, more personalized and effective treatment strategies should be developed.
Studying ICDs in people with Parkinson’s disease may also offer valuable insights into the biology of addiction.
Biologic Drugs
Biologic drugs are used to treat autoimmune diseases and other chronic conditions. Unlike traditional medications, biologics are made from living cells or organisms rather than through chemical synthesis.
A Boston optometrist noticed their patients had similar ocular complications. They had one thing in common: biologic drug prescriptions.
Dr. Sarah Lopez, an assistant professor at the University of California, tells Healio that when a patient develops new or unexplained symptoms, nurses should review their medication list, as a biologic drug may be the underlying cause.
Most biologic medications can be identified by their names, which end in -mab, -cept, -fusp, or -kin, or include the word “interferon.”
Mirvetuximab
About 59% of patients on mirvetuximab experience side effects, such as dry eyes and sensitivity to light. Tisotumab has a similar rate, although it is more likely to affect the conjunctiva than the cornea.
Patients with dry eye disease often complain of scratchiness, eye irritation, burning eyes, itchy eyes, and blurry vision. It’s also advisable that patients stop wearing contact lenses while being treated with antibody-drug conjugates.
Mountain View Optometry advises patients to seek treatment for dry eye symptoms as it can develop into an eye infection.
Statins
Touted as a miracle that lowers cholesterol, statins have indeed saved millions of lives. They’ve reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes. However, recent research has brought the effectiveness into question. Namely, the side effects.
Muscle pain. Weakness and exercise intolerance. These are the trade-offs some patients report. Medical X Press reports that a recent McMaster University study may have uncovered the “why”.
It paves the way for future treatments that could make statins easier to tolerate without reducing their heart-protective benefits.
Challenging Conventional Wisdom
The study identified an immune and metabolic pathway that appears to drive statin-related muscle damage. It challenges previous assumptions about how these side effects occur.
According to senior author Professor Jonathan Schertzer, statin-associated muscle symptoms affect an estimated 7% to 29% of people taking these medications.
Researchers have long known that statins can sometimes cause muscle problems, but the biological reasons behind these side effects have remained unclear until now.
GLP-1 For Weight Loss
The popularity of Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists has soared in recent years. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes mellitus, GLP-1s are also licensed for weight loss.
However, it appears that Ozempic face isn’t the primary side effect with prolonged use.
Lesser-Known Side Effects
Digestive problems account for about half of all side effects reported to the UK’s MHRA through the Yellow Card Scheme for tirzepatide, semaglutide, and liraglutide.
An April 2026 study published in Nature suggests that some patients may be genetically more likely to experience nausea or vomiting while taking these medications.
Skin and nervous system side effects are also commonly reported. In people using semaglutide to manage diabetes, dysesthesia has since been added to the drug’s list of known side effects.
We can’t talk about medication side effects without mentioning the foundation of medication administration. The two are intricately connected.
The ‘5 Rights’ of Medication Administration
All nurses are taught this module in nursing school. Right patient. Right drug. Right dose. Right route. The right time still holds weight.
Developed to reduce medication errors and make drug administration safer, these principles have long been a cornerstone of clinical practice. Yet medication errors occur, showing that a more comprehensive approach is needed.
Currently, the FDA receives more than 100,000 reports annually associated with suspected medication errors. As a nurse, you should consider the following:
Similarly Named Medications
Similar names. Different effects. That mistake can cost you dearly.
To reduce confusion, prescribers should use full generic drug names. Include the reason for the prescription. Document orders clearly to prevent errors caused by poor handwriting or abbreviations.
Dosing
Nurses must use the correct units when calculating medication doses to avoid potentially life-threatening errors. For example, administering 5 mL of morphine at a concentration of 20 mg/mL instead of the prescribed 5 mg could be fatal.
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) stresses that patient weight must be measured and documented in metric units (kilograms or grams).
FAQs
1. Why should nurses pay close attention to medication side effects?
Medication side effects can sometimes be mistaken for new illnesses or worsening disease.
2. Which medication side effects are most commonly overlooked?
Some of the most commonly missed side effects include impulse control disorders linked to dopamine agonists. Dry eyes and light sensitivity caused by certain biologic drugs. Muscle pain from statins. Digestive and skin symptoms associated with GLP-1 medications.
3. When should dry eyes raise concerns?
Dry eyes may seem like a minor complaint, but they can be a side effect of biologic medications such as mirvetuximab.
4. How can nurses reduce the risk of medication-related harm?
Following the “Five Rights” of medication administration remains essential. Nurses should also verify generic drug names. Document patient weight in metric units. Watch for unexpected symptoms after new medications are prescribed.
Medication Side Effects: Key Statistics
| Stat | Figure | Source |
| Reports of suspected medication errors received annually by the FDA | 100,000+ | FDA |
| Parkinson’s patients taking dopamine agonists who may experience impulse control disorders | 1 in 6 (17%) | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Patients taking mirvetuximab who experience eye-related side effects | 59% | Healio.com |
| People taking statins who experience muscle-related symptoms | 7%–29% | McMaster University study |
Foundational Principles
The universal ethic of nursing is built on the “Six Cs of Caring”: Compassion, Competence, Confidence, Conscience, Commitment, and Comportment.
As long as you follow this mantra and the 5 Rights of Medication Administration, you will be one of the first to spot when something is wrong. A patient may dismiss something as simple as a tremor. You know better. And chances are, you’ll also know the culprit.
Author bio
Writer by day, dream catcher by night. Marchelle Abrahams cut her teeth in the infancy of the internet when the dial-up sound of the modem was more than a soundbite at a rave. Not a Millennial and not a Boomer, Marchelle is an in-betweener, making her a special breed of human. As a qualified journalist, Marchelle believes her superpower is stringing a few words together and people reading them. That, and the ability to take her kids on with her unique brand of gnarly comebacks.
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