A lot of adults in across the country take prescription drugs, but not all of them use their medicines correctly.

Each year, between 7,000 and 9,000 people die because of medication errors.

"Medications can be tough to take. They can be complicated to take, particularly the more medications somebody is prescribed," Vanderbilt University Medical Center Cardiologist Daniel Munoz said.

But if you're using your meds incorrectly, you could be putting yourself in danger.

In a recent report, more than nine million American adults said they've tried to cut costs by skipping doses, taking less medication, or delaying getting a prescription filled.

"The more medications someone is prescribed and picks up at the pharmacy, the higher their out-of-pocket costs will be," Munoz said.

But not taking certain medications on schedule can be unsafe.

For instance, skipping beta-blockers can cause a spike in blood pressure, which can put you at risk for a heart attack.

Another mistake, doubling up on doses if you miss one. Many times, you should skip the missed dose if it's almost time for your next dose.

Another misstep is stopping your meds. You should always take the drug for the amount of time your doctor prescribes.  

Some drugs, like antidepressants, can cause harmful withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking them cold-turkey.

Sharing medicines with another person is also a mistake. Your drugs are prescribed with your particular height, weight, age, and medical condition in mind.

According to UC Davis, every eight minutes, a child experiences a medication error at home.

The most common mistakes are giving the wrong medication, administering medicines that the child is allergic to, or taking the wrong dose.