Hospital will check meds for interactions

Do senior citizens know what's in their medicine cabinet? St. Clare's Hospital will help answer that question at a free Medication Review on Dec. 11, 1 p.m.

Seniors are encouraged to bring along every prescription medicine, vitamin bottle and herbal supplement they take, including tubes of ointment and over-the-counter drugs. The meds will be reviewed by pharmacists while the guests eat a gratis lunch in the cafeteria.

After lunch, the seniors will receive a computer print-out of all their medications and can speak with registered pharmacists about them.

Overview

The pharmacists will be looking for duplications, outdated prescriptions, drug interactions, possible dangers and side-effects, and ways that seniors and their doctors can streamline the prescription-taking process while still providing the best results.

According to Dr. Kirk Panneton, the hospital's director of Geriatric Services, "In general, the elderly are over-medicated. There are different practices, different doctors, different emergency rooms [prescribing medications]. We want [patients] to bring them in so we can have a look at them and see if we can make some suggestions.

"We're not looking to drastically change people's medical regimens. We just want to say, 'These are the things you should be taking back to your physician, because we see a potential issue here.'"

Mix-ups

It can be difficult for seniors to keep track of which medications they're supposed to take when they're taking multiple pills on different schedules, Dr. Panneton said.

"When you get on eight to ten medications, you know you're going to get interactions and side-effects that might be worse" than the conditions being treated, said Dr. Panneton.

He believes it's important for seniors to continually check with their doctors to keep medications current and make sure that the drugs don't interact in a negative way.

"A lot of times, you may be feeling poorly because of the stuff you're taking," he warned.

Interactions

Seniors who take prescription drugs also need to consult with their doctors about over-the-counter medications and vitamins.

For example, certain common cough syrups and cold relief medicines can spark trouble in people on medication for high blood pressure, Dr. Panneton said, and taking too much of an individual vitamin "can cause problems."

He added, "There might be ingredients in over-the-counter meds or herbal medications that you think are not important, but, in fact, they're important for side-effects in the elderly."

Regular review

Staying in control of one's medications and staying in contact with one's physician are critical for seniors to help manage their health, said Dr. Panneton.

Many doctors, he said, promote regular medication review and will help patients go through their medications to discover what can be changed or made more potent.

"We'd like people to stop as many as you can, reduce doses, and know what you're on and why you're on it," he said.

(Reservations are required to attend the free program. Call 347-5809.)

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