National Emergency Preparedness Tips

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists is working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to remind consumers that when preparing for a possible emergency situation, it's best to think first about the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air, warmth, and needed medications. In addition, because your family may not be together when disaster strikes, it's important to plan how you will contact one another and review what you will do in different situations.

Here are some important tips to keep in mind:

• Create a family emergency plan that includes:
  
  
  • Information about the emergency plan at your children’s schools,
  • The name and phone number of an out-of-town contact person,
  • A list of important phone numbers, including those of doctors and emergency services, and 
  • A full family medication list that includes drug names, dosages, administration instructions, and doctor's phone number.
    
    
• Prepare a three-day emergency supply kit that includes:
  
  
  • Water (one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation),
  • Non-perishable foods,
  • Battery-operated radio,
  • Dust mask or cotton fabric,
  • Whistle,
  • Important family documents,
  • Flashlight and extra batteries,
  • Manual can opener,
  • Plastic sheeting and duct tape,
  • Garbage bags and plastic ties,
  • Wrench or pliers
  • First aid kit, and
  • Unique family needs such as infant formula or prescription medicines

For more information on how to plan for emergencies, go to www.ready.gov.

Poison Prevention & Seniors

Seniors who take multiple medications are often at increased risk for accidental poisonings. This is because seniors often have complex medication regimens involving multiple medications prescribed by several physicians.

To reduce the risks of accidental poisoning, ASHP recommends that patients:

• Keep a list of your medications.  A written record of the medications you are taking, including drug name, dosage, and frequency, is an important tool to have during physician visits and in case of an emergency. 

• Communicate. Inform your doctor and pharmacist of all the medications you are taking, including non-prescription medications and dietary supplements; this will help reduce the chances of an interaction.

• Learn about your medications.  Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain why you are taking the medication you have been prescribed, the food and medicines you should avoid, and possible reactions and side effects. 

• Use one pharmacy. Many seniors receive prescriptions from more than one doctor, making drug interactions more likely. By using one pharmacy, all of your prescriptions are consolidated and your pharmacist can check for possible interactions between medications.

• Keep a journal. Make note of all symptoms, especially after taking your medications. Painful or unexpected side effects may signal a need for adjusting your medication regimen.

• Maintain a schedule. Holding to a routine can decrease your chances of missing dosages or taking more than needed.

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 Families & Medication Use

Did you know that American families are coping with the rising price of medications by engaging in a number of potentially risky behaviors, including skipping medication doses, taking less than the prescribed dose of medication, or deciding to stop taking prescription medications altogether?

A new ASHP survey of 1,006 Americans found that a majority deal with rising drug costs by asking for generic medications over brand-name prescription drugs (90.5 percent). Respondents said they use a number of other tactics, some of which could be potentially dangerous, to fit medicines into their budgets. The study also found that:

• Nearly three-fourths of American households (72.8 percent) have at least one member currently taking a prescription medication, with three or more medications being taken in nearly half of all American households (47.6 percent).

• The average number of prescription medications being taken in households with at least one person age 65 or older is 5.7.

• The average amount of money American households spend out of pocket for monthly prescriptions is $103.50, with 10 million households (12.8 percent) spending $200 or more.

• Nearly one out of four Americans (24.1 percent or 67.8 million Americans) report that their health insurance does not include prescription drug coverage (13 percent) or that they do not have health insurance at all (11.1 percent).

To cope with rising drug prices over the last year, Americans have:

• Purchased generic drugs (64.2 percent),
• Asked their doctors for free medication samples (26.3 percent),
• Skipped doses or taken less than the prescribed dose of medicine (22.2 percent), or
• ­Stopped taking prescription medications altogether (17.6 percent).

As a result of not being able to afford the cost of filling their prescription medications, approximately one out of 10 Americans (10.8 percent) say that they or a family member has been sick for a prolonged time or become sicker.

Consumers should keep in mind that they can turn to their pharmacist as a resource to help them manage the costs of their medications. Pharmacists can work with patients to streamline their medication regimen or find more cost-effective alternatives for their prescriptions.

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 Pain Management Advice

Did you know that an estimated 50 million Americans live with chronic pain caused by diseases, chronic health conditions, or accidents? If you are among that number, you don't have to suffer in silence. That's because there are now many safe medication options to alleviate or eliminate pain.

 

Working in concert with your personal physician, your pharmacist can help you determine which medication therapy is appropriate. Here are some important tips to remember when considering pain-management choices:

• Chronic pain is defined as pain that continues for three months or longer.
• Consumers often avoid seeking treatment for pain because they have misperceptions about the condition and the medications to treat it. For example, they may fear becoming addicted to the prescribed medication. However, studies show that less than .01 percent of patients become dependent, and pharmacists know what signs to look for to determine if a patient has an addiction problem.
• Pain management is a highly collaborative effort among physicians, pharmacists, and other health care professionals. Constant communication between the patient and the health-care team is a key factor in controlling pain.
• Pharmacists will assess the medications and treatment options that are best for each patient, providing individualized care to manage pain.

Poison Prevention Tips for Children

Did you know that many of the creative methods parents and caregivers use to get children to take their medicine can actually contribute to accidental poisonings?

An ASHP consumer survey found that almost half of parents and caregivers said they have pretended to take their child's medication or called it "candy" to convince the child to take the medicine. These methods are extremely dangerous and could lead to an overdose, according to pharmacists. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 9 of 10 accidental poisonings occur in the home. Sixty percent of these victims are children younger than age six, and close to half of poisonings in children of this age group involve a misuse of medicines.

Below are safety tips that every parent, caregiver, and grandparent should use to prevent accidental poisonings:

• Avoid taking medications in the presence of children, as they often try to imitate adults.

• Don't call medicine "candy."

• Use child-resistant closures on medicine and other products.
  
  
• Keep all medications (both prescription and nonprescription) in their original child-resistant containers.

• Always turn on the light when giving or taking medicine.

• Check your medications periodically for expiration dates. If the medication is not dated, consider it expired six months after purchase.
  
  
• Avoid putting medications in open trash containers in the kitchen or bathroom because many adult medications can be deadly to small children and pets.

• Be aware that vitamins, particularly those containing iron, can be poisonous if taken in large doses. Children are especially suspectible to adverse effects from vitamin overdosing.

In cases of poisoning, ASHP recommends that consumers immediately call 800-222-1222, the national phone number for poison control centers. Eighty percent of directors and half of all staff members at poison control centers are pharmacists, health care professionals who are trained and highly educated on the complexities of today's medications.

Beware of Medication Myths

Conventional wisdom is not always accurate when dealing with medication safety. Reliance on “medication myths” can cause serious health problems, some with long-lasting effects, cautions the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). 

Medication myths, like stories from Greek mythology, are often spread by word of mouth. “Many people turn to family members or friends for medication advice, which is how general misinformation can quickly become a myth,” says ASHP President T. Mark Woods, Pharm.D., FASHP, and clinical coordinator and residency program director at St. Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City. “Consumers need to remember that pharmacists and physicians are the best resource experts for answers to their medication questions.”

Several common medication myths include:

MYTH: NONPRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS ARE SAFER THAN PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.
TRUTH: All medications, even those sold without a prescription, have the potential to cause harm. Taking more than the recommended dose can cause serious adverse effects, such as stomach bleeding, as well as liver or kidney problems. Adverse reactions to nonprescription medicines can sometimes occur even when patients follow instructions exactly. In addition, the effects of certain prescription medications can be significantly bolstered or weakened if taken with some nonprescription medicines. Patients should tell their physician and pharmacist about all the medications, including vitamins and herbal supplements, they are taking to help avoid potentially dangerous drug interactions.

MYTH: HERBALS ARE SAFE BECAUSE THEY ARE “NATURAL.”
TRUTH: Herbal supplements can be dangerous because they are not regulated as drugs by the Food and Drug Administration, and no clinical studies are required to show their safety and effectiveness. In fact, studies have shown that the active ingredients within the same type of supplement can vary by up to 150 percent. Additionally, some herbal supplements can interact negatively with prescription and nonprescription medicines. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about any herbal supplements you are taking.

MYTH: SPLITTING PILLS IS ALWAYS A SAFE WAY TO SAVE MONEY.
TRUTH: Consumers, especially seniors, often split pills to save money, but doing so can disrupt essential properties of the medications. For example, some medications contain a time-release property that is destroyed when a pill is cut, reducing the medication’s safety. Also, because some pills are made with a protective coating to prevent nausea, an upset stomach may result if the coating is broken. Always ask your pharmacist if a pill is safe to split.

MYTH: CHILDREN CAN TAKE ADULT MEDICATIONS IN SMALLER DOSES.
TRUTH: When it comes to medications, children are not small adults. Children may react differently than adults to the same medication. For example, antihistamines cause drowsiness in adults but may cause hyperactivity in children. The proper dosage for children may be lower than for adults; however, in some cases, children require larger doses than adults (such as with medications used to treat seizures). Always ask your child's doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about the correct dose of a medication.

MYTH: THE BATHROOM MEDICINE CABINET IS A GOOD PLACE TO STORE MEDICATIONS.
TRUTH: Medications should never be stored in the bathroom because of the negative effects of excessive heat and humidity. Additionally, the bathroom is an easy place for children to explore, and medications should always be kept out of children’s reach. Medicines should ideally be stored in a secure, dark location at 65 to 80 degrees, with little humidity.

MYTH: MEDICATIONS CAN BE TAKEN SAFELY WITH ANY LIQUID.
TRUTH: Instructions on medication administration should be read carefully. Some liquids may enhance or diminish the effect of a medication. For example, grapefruit juice helps in the absorption of certain AIDS medications; however, it completely inactivates some medications for high blood pressure.  Always check with your pharmacist to determine which liquids are safe to take with your medicines.