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Data from the 2022 National Health Survey shows that over 30% of people aged 55 years or older and 70% of people aged 75 years or older take at least five medicines (1) . The reason for this is that as people age, the risk of having one or more chronic conditions increases and this means that multiple medications are often prescribed. Medicines are the most common therapeutic intervention used to help treat health conditions, but occasionally they cause side effects and, they can interact with other medicines. As well as all this, there are often multiple brands of the same medicine meaning it can be confusing to know exactly what you’re supposed to be taking and when.
So, what can you do to take your medicines safely, optimise their benefits, and get the most out of life? Why not start by talking to your pharmacist.
Pharmacists are highly trained, professional, medicines experts and have a wealth of knowledge about medicines and how to maximise their benefits to promote better health outcomes. Pharmacists can support you to understand your medicines better by sharing information around:
- What the medicine is for
- How long to take the medicine for
- When to take the medicine (e.g. does once a day mean in the morning or in the evening?)
- Which medicines can be taken together and which one’s might interact
- How to take each medicine (e.g. with food or not)
- Any special instructions (e.g. don’t take grapefruit juice or avoid excessive sunlight)
- Side effects to look out for and what to do if they occur.
- How to store the medicines
- Lifestyle measures to support the medicine to work more effectively for the health condition.
- How to tell if the medicines are working
Taking multiple medications or having a complex medication regime can be stressful. Pharmacists can also support patients to manage their medicines more effectively through dose administration aid (DAA) services. A DAA is a weekly blister pack where medicines are separated into individual compartments determined by the time and day on which they should be taken. A DAA provides a convenient solution to support people to take their medications as their doctor has prescribed, helping them get the most out of their medicines, whilst minimising stress.
If you’re interested in knowing more about your medicines, or hearing more about how a dose administration aid could help you manage your medicines, then pop into your local pharmacy and ask the Pharmacist. You can also find out more on the National Pharmacies website.
By Bec Rogers – Chief Pharmacist, National Pharmacies
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References
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. [Online] 10 May 2024. [Cited: 11 June 2024.] https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/medications/latest-release.