Medications
Medications
According to the National Institute on Aging, individuals 65 and older consume more prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines than any other age group. This may be because they tend to have more long-term, chronic illnesses—such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease—than do younger people.
To guard against potential problems with drugs older people must be knowledgeable about what they take and how it interacts with other drugs they are taking. The older person, or their advocate, must partner with their physician and pharmacist to learn about possible drug interactions. Advise health care professionals about all medications that the individual is taking, including over the counter drugs such as aspirin or antacids.
When More Isn't Necessarily Better
When prescribed and taken appropriately, drugs have many benefits: They treat diseases and infections, help manage symptoms of chronic conditions, and can contribute to an improved quality of life. Of all the problems older people face in taking medication, drug interactions are possibly the most dangerous. Polypharmacy, taking more than one drug, may result in uncomfortable or even dangerous side effects. This is especially a problem for older persons; who take an average of more than four prescription medications plus two over the counter medications. For example, a person who takes a blood-thinning medication should not combine that with aspirin, which will thin the blood even more. Before prescribing any new drug to an older patient, a doctor should be aware of all the other drugs the patient may be taking.
Older people tend to be more sensitive to drugs than younger people are, due to changes in their metabolism , such a slowed digestion, liver and kidney function. They also may be more susceptible to certain side effects, such as a drop in blood pressure. For the older adult, "Start low and go slow" is good advice.
The following suggestions may also help:
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Assure that all your physicians know what others are prescribing, and ask one doctor (such as an internist or general practitioner) to coordinate your drugs.
• Get all your prescriptions filled at one pharmacy. Your pharmacist can serve as a central point to maintain a list of all your medicines, and can screen for drug interactions to avoid harmful situations.
• Keep track of side effects. New symptoms may not be from old age but from the drug you're taking.
• Learn about your drugs. Find out as much as you can by asking questions and reading the package inserts. Both your doctor and pharmacist should alert you to possible interactions between drugs, how to take any drug properly, and whether there's a less expensive generic drug available.
• Have your doctor review your drugs. If you take a number of drugs, take them all with you on a doctor's visit.
• Follow directions. Read the label every time you take the medication to prevent mistakes, and be sure you understand the timing, dose prescribed, and how long to take it. Ask a pharmacist what foods to take with each drug. Some drugs are better absorbed with certain foods, and some drugs shouldn't be taken with certain foods.
Arthritis, poor eyesight, and memory lapses can make it difficult for some older people to take their medications correctly. Studies have shown that between 40 percent and 75 percent of older people don't take their medications at the right time or in the right amount.
Invent a system to remember medication. Devise a plan that fits your daily schedule. Some people use meals or bedtime as cues for remembering drugs. Others use charts, calendars, and special weekly pillboxes, and techniques such as turning medicine bottles upside down, to help them know at a glance if they have taken the medication.
Drug-taking routines should take into account whether the medication works best on an empty or full stomach and whether the doses are spaced properly. To simplify taking your medications, always ask for the easiest dosing schedule that's available for the drug you've been prescribed--just once or twice a day, for example.
For a new prescription, don't buy a whole bottle but ask for just a few pills. You may have side effects from the medication and have to switch. If you buy just a few, you won't be stuck with a costly bottle of medicine you can't take.
For ongoing conditions, buy medications in the largest quantities you can.
Comparison shop for the lowest price. Pharmacy prices can vary greatly. If you find a drug cheaper elsewhere, ask your regular pharmacist if he or she can match the price.
• Ask for a senior citizen discount.
• Ask your physician to prescribe a generic equivalent. These non-brand substitutes are tested to be sure they are chemically identical to the original and they deliver the same amount of the drug to the body in the same amount of time.
• Get drug samples free. Pharmaceutical companies often give samples of drugs to physicians.
• Buy store-brand or discount brand over-the-counter products. Ask the pharmacist for recommendations.
• Find out about drug discount or assistance programs. site. like your local chapter of national disease-related organizations (American Diabetes Association, etc.). Financial assistance may also be provided through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services if you qualify. Ask your physician's office for drug discounts that are available.
• Try mail order from a reputable pharmacy. Mail-order pharmacies can provide bulk medications at discount prices. Use this service only for long-term drug therapy because it takes a few weeks for delivery.
Before you leave your doctor's office with a new prescription, make sure you fully understand how to take the drug correctly. Your pharmacist can also provide valuable information about how to take your medicines and how to cope with side effects. Ask the following questions:
• What is the name of this drug, and what is it designed to do? Is this a generic or a name-brand product?
• What is the dosing schedule and how do I take it?
• What should I do if I forget a dose?
• What side effects should I expect? What should I do if I experience these side effects?
• How long will I be on this drug?
• How should I store this drug?
• Should I take this on an empty stomach or with food? Is it safe to drink alcohol with this drug?