Vim & Vigor - Fall 2011 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 56)

Q&A ASK The ExpErt Mixing It Up Be aware of possible drug interactions Senior citizens make up about one-eighth of the population, but they take one-third of all prescription drugs. The typical senior citizen fills 38 prescriptions a year. Q Q Pamela Tronetti, D.O., AGSF, a board-certified, fellowship-trained geriatrician, is medical director at Parrish Senior Consultation Center, 805 A Century Medical Drive, Titusville. Call 321-383-9393 for an appointment. Why should I worry if I take more than one medication? As the number of medications increases, the number of possible interactions increases exponentially. For example, two drugs will have one possible interaction. But five drugs can cause 10 possible interactions. Seven drugs can cause 21 interactions and 10 drugs can cause 45 interactions. How can I determine if I might have a problem with drug interactions? Q• Take all your medications (including nonprescription and herbal remedies) to a pharmacy and ask a pharmacist to check for possible drug interactions. You can also review the package inserts that come with your prescriptions and check the drug interactions section. You may have to take notes and write out the generic and brand name of your medications, because most of this information is written with the chemical name rather than brand name. What are some common drug interactions that a person should know about? EvEnt Crash Course on Aging 2011, Wednesdays, 4–5 p.m. This FREE event is open to the public, but seating is limited. Call 321-268-6800 to register. Free October Event Coumadin (warfarin), taken with the antibiotic Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Levaquin (levofloxacin) or Bactrim and Septra (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole). This combination can result in dangerously high levels of warfarin and profuse bleeding. Patients who are taking warfarin should avoid these antibiotics. • Statin cholesterol drugs (simvastatin, lovastatin and others), taken with Z-pack (azithromycin) antibiotic. This raises the level of the statin drug and causes side effects such as muscle pain. Patients may be told to stop taking statin drugs while on azithromycin. • Many blood pressure medicines that end in “-ide” contain thiazide. Taking thiazide water pills can increase calcium levels, occasionally to dangerously high levels. • ACE inhibitors (lisinopril, enalapril and others) and ARB blood pressure medications (olmesartan, losartan and others) help the body retain potassium. But if you use a salt substitute that contains potassium chloride, the combination can cause lethal levels of potassium to build up in the system and stop the heart. Read the labels of your salt substitutes and talk to your doctor before using one with potassium chloride. These are just a few of the possible drug interactions. Check reputable Internet sites, such as drugs.com and medscape.com, to help you find specific drug interactions. If there is a possible interaction, don’t panic and don’t stop taking the medications. Call your doctor or make By Pamela Tronetti, D.O., AGSF an appointment to discuss your drug regimen. 56 Vim & Vigor • FA ll 2 011 http://www.drugs.com http://www.medscape.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2011 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2011 - Parrish
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
Don't Be a Drowsy Driver
The Art of Nursing
Healthy Hues
The New Survivors
First (Aid) Things First
Find Your Groove
A Healthy Tune
Stay in Circulation
'X' Marks the Spot
Pregnancy Predictors
Play It Safe
What's New?
A Walking, Talking Fitness Billboard
Community Health
Special Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2011 - Parrish Medical Center

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