by brant bullard | Jul 18, 2016 | News
Have you ever noticed when you start talking about adverse events in our elderly, it has a high chance of pointing back to one thing?
Elderly patients take about three times as many medications as younger patients do. They are also the greatest consumers of prescribed and non-prescribed medications. There has been a gradual increase in prescription drug use in the United States. According to CMS, the average number of prescriptions per year, including refills, is currently 28.5 per senior (up from 19.6 in 1992). The average cost per prescription has also jumped from $28.50 in 1992 to $42.30 in 2000, an increase of 48%. Since the elderly have less participation in drug trials, there is insufficient information on the side effects and adverse reactions of drugs on the elderly. As a result, older patients have to rely on general guidelines with information extrapolated from other age groups to make decisions regarding prescription drug use. (more…)
by brant bullard | Jul 12, 2016 | News
When a resident falls, can’t sleep, or has ongoing events, what is your medical plan of action?
They say it takes a team to raise a village, and most teams in a nursing home or assisted living facility work tirelessly to ensure their residents are healthy, happy and free from any event that might cause them harm. So what happens when that does occur? What is your plan of action to make sure it doesn’t happen again?
According to the CDC, about 1,800 older adults living in nursing homes die each year from fall-related injuries and those who survive frequently sustain injuries that result in permanent disability and reduced quality of life.
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by brant bullard | Jul 8, 2016 | News
Adverse drug effects can occur in any patient, but certain characteristics of the elderly make them more susceptible. An elderly person often takes many drugs (polypharmacy). They also have age-related changes that increase the risk of adverse effects.
Many drugs have adverse effects that resemble symptoms of disorders common among the elderly or changes due to aging.
Antipsychotics may cause symptoms that resemble Parkinson disease. In elderly patients, these symptoms may be diagnosed as Parkinson disease and treated, possibly leading to adverse effects from the antiparkinson drugs (eg, orthostatic hypotension, delirium, nausea). (more…)
by brant bullard | Jul 6, 2016 | News
There is a high percentage of patients for whom drugs are ineffectiveIn October 2013, the Food and Drug Administration cited a study on the percentages of patients for whom drugs are ineffective. The study explained that some of that ineffectiveness could be attributed to errors in dosing, drug-interactions, or non-compliance, researchers estimated that up to 50 percent of those inappropriate responses were likely related to genetic factors.
- Depression 38%
- Asthma 40%
- Cardiac Arrhythmias 40%
- Diabetes 43%
- Migraine 48%
- Arthritis 50%
- Osteoporosis 52%
- Alzheimer’s 70%
- Cancer 75%
Source: genomemag.com, fda.gov
by brant bullard | Jun 27, 2016 | News
Pharmacists can provide value by focusing on pharmacogenomics associated with medication use.
Pharmacogenetic Testing in the Pharmacy:
Pharmacogenetics is among the many areas of care in which pharmacists can serve as important collaborators with physicians and patients.
Pharmacists and physicians often team up when it comes to patient care. But when it comes to information related to drug metabolism, it is sometimes difficult for physicians to keep up with, so pharmacists can provide input for the team when it comes to pharmacogenetics. (more…)
by brant bullard | May 24, 2016 | News
Medication is a two-edged sword. The same dose of a medication given to two different people may cure one and harm the other.
Medication, the silent epidemic can appear in a variety of ways – the right medication in the wrong dose, or two or more medications that interact with dangerous, unintended side effects. Medication-related problems occur most often in older people and are generally more severe. (more…)
