Using Medication Wisely

Nipissing MPP, Monique Smith along with the Kalvin Brown, member of the Ontario Pharmacists’ Association, hosted a the second free seminar today on safe medication use in seniors.

Seniors from all over the district were invited to the Golden Age Centre to learn the importance of using their for heart health medication safely and effectively, as misuse of medication is one of the greatest costs to the health care system.

Smith said she appreciates the importance of good health for seniors in the community.

“I think this partnership between the Ontario Pharmacists’ Association and our office is a significant initiative for seniors to better understand the implications of their hear medicine.

Part of Brown’s seminar focused on educating seniors around better use of medications in order to reduce overall healthcare costs.

“It’s not just seniors it seems to be a problem for all ages,” states Brown.

“We focus on seniors primarily because they are the biggest utilizers of medications, and in most cases the most costly medications on the market. So, it’s a cost effective way on trying to focus on a particular group.”

Not only can mishandling of drugs be costly it can be deadly. Brown also said that hospitals see a range of admissions dealing with side effects from medications that have resulted from taking to much to taking to little as well as drug interactions.

Brown did say while marked pill boxes can help alleviate some of the confusion with drug regimes, he feels it is better to have a sound comprehension of the process overall.

“I don’t know that is better, but it is an option that is available, as well as Dossettes available within the pharmacy that can be filled on a weekly basis. I think the primary focus is better understanding, if you know why you are taking a medication than that makes you more likely to utilize the medication appropriately.”

One area that Brown touched upon that is still relatively unknown is the interaction of pharmaceuticals and herbal remedies.

Brown states that there has been a significant spike in the use of herbal remedies since he graduated in 1989.

“When I graduated there was basically no herbals to today where you’ve got (in pharmacies) 16 to 18 foot sections of herbals. We are seeing as they are being utilized more and more that there are drug interactions, and yes it is a growing issue.”

With the use of the herbals Brown strongly suggests that folks inform their care providers of their intentions.

“They should be checking with the primary care pharmacist and primary care physician so they have a list of herbals that they are using, and check before they take them (with the pharmacist) because, we can do at least some looking. I mean there are some herbals out there that you just don’t have information on yet so we can at least do some research .”