Medicines and You
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-03-20 15:22:00-05:00
There are more prescription drugs available now than ever before. And older people take more of them than anyone else. These drugs can help us live better and longer. But they can also cause problems.
Some drug-related problems are small, like an unpleasant side effect that goes away quickly. Other problems are more complicated, like a new prescription that could interfere with a drug or a nutritional supplement you're already taking—except your doctor doesn't know about that other drug. Other serious drug-related problems can lead to hospitalization, or worse. Taking more pain-control drugs than prescribed can harm the liver. Or unclear writing can make the name of the right drug look like another drug that would be dangerous for you.
You are in the best position to avoid drug-related problems.
Sure, you're not a doctor or a pharmacist—or the head of a pharmaceutical company. But becoming your own medication manager—in partnership with your doctor and your pharmacist—has never been more important. This is the best way to ensure that you use prescription drugs safely, and that they're as effective as possible for you.
There's a lot you can do—for yourself or for someone in your family.
| Please note: The word "doctor" is used as a general term to represent the medical professional who provides medical health care and services to a consumer or patient. Also, the seminar uses these words interchangeably: prescription drugs, prescriptions, drugs, and medications. Here, they all refer to drugs that you receive through a prescription from a doctor. The word medicines refers to either prescription or non-prescription drugs. |
Why pay more attention now to your prescription drugs? Why learn more now about managing medications?
First of all, the number of drugs out there has exploded. Doctors can choose from many more prescription drugs today than even ten years ago.
There's a huge amount of information—and possible drug interactions—for health professionals to keep track of. Questions that you ask, what you know about your own sensitivity to drugs, and drug facts that you look up—these all help your doctor consider the pros and cons of every prescription.
Join with your doctor and your pharmacist to understand, track, and manage all your prescriptions. You'll be safer.
The number of older people using prescription drugs has also exploded.
Three-fourths of people 45 or older take prescription drugs. And they take an average of 4 prescription medications each day. The older you get, the more likely you are to take more than 4 daily prescriptions.
How many are you taking?
Your doctor and your pharmacist need you on their team. Here's why:
Older people vary much more among themselves than do younger people. It's impossible to generalize about us. A drug that's good for one of us may be bad for another. We're often the first to know if we don't feel right after taking a drug. And even beforehand, we can tell our doctor how we usually react to drugs. Telling our doctor about these usual reactions could lead to dosages that are right for us.
Medical students don't receive much education on older people and medications. According to the Gerontological Society, most health care professionals do not receive the geriatrics training necessary to respond to the unique and complex health needs of older adults. Doing some research on our own can't hurt.
Before they go on the market, new drugs undergo limited testing on people age 65 and older. But those studies rarely involve older persons who were using other drugs, too. Therefore, the drugs may work differently when you use them.
Also, our bodies change as they age. And some of those changes can affect how we absorb or digest drugs. Asking questions about this can help push our doctor to think about adjusting a drug dosage, or having us report on possible side effects more often.
In most studies, many patients don't know about the possible risks, side effects, or possibly dangerous interactions of the prescription drugs they're taking. If your doctor doesn't offer to tell you, ask. And ask more! The more you know, the safer you'll be.
What you can do in this seminar
With your health, and especially with your prescription drugs, more than one head is always better. When you, your doctor, and your pharmacist pool information, your medications have the best chance of helping you.
It's true. There's a lot to know. And taking medications safely rests on your shoulders more than it used to. But you're not alone. And there's more, easy-to-use information than ever before.
More and more pharmacists and doctors are partnering with their patients to make taking medications safer. Lots of research on prescription drugs is now written so consumers can understand it.
This AARP seminar will help you take 5 actions. Each action ensures that you take your medications as safely and effectively as possible:
- Before you see your doctor, prepare what to say to manage your visit.
- At the doctor's, get the answers you need.
- At the pharmacy, get more information.
- Manage your medications on your own—for safety and effectiveness.
- Get help to lower the cost of your prescriptions.
In each Session, you'll find practical tips and tools to use right now. You can compare your ideas with what other people taking this seminar are thinking. And you can adapt each action to helping your parents or other family members. In the Seminar Conclusion, decide on the next steps you'll take to use your prescription drugs more safely.
You can use many of the tips in this seminar to talk with your doctor about other matters, in addition to your medications. But this seminar focuses on your medications.
After you finish this seminar, you may want to complete the supplemental seminar about how to research health conditions, treatments, and medications.
In Session 1: Before You See Your Doctor, you’ll learn how to manage a talk with your doctor about your medications.
Technical Requirements
To appreciate this seminar experience, it is critical that you have the appropriate software, plug-ins, and network connections. Please take the time to download the latest versions of the plug-ins mentioned below if you do not already have them.
Browser: Internet Explorer 6 and higher, Netscape 7.2 and higher or equivalent browser. Your browser must be JavaScript-enabled and must be set to accept cookies.
Network Connection: The recommended minimum connection is 56Kbps. A faster connection is encouraged to take better advantage of the media elements in the seminar.
Contributors
AARP Health Promotion Team
This seminar is brought to you through the AARP Health Promotion Team, which helps AARP members achieve and enhance their health goals. The seminar is part of a project to help Americans 50 and older use medications wisely. To support this goal, AARP is: 1) developing a wide variety of print resources and messages; 2) partnering with other organizations that share an interest in appropriate medication use; and 3) advocating for federal and state requirements that enable wise medication use.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
All material contained herein is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. Consult your health care professional for advice relating to treatment of a medical problem or condition.
Copyright 2005, AARP.
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