Recent information regarding vitamin overdose prompts a reminder of the most important thing in the correct use of nutritional supplements and medications – questions that a pharmacist best knows the answers to.
Are there any new additional options that help you follow the advice of your doctor and pharmacist, and what do you need to know so as not to make mistakes and harm your health? The pharmacist and head of Mēness aptieka Eva Virza explains (a year ago the Latvian Society of Doctors presented her with the pharmacist of the year award, especially noting Ieva’s contribution to informing society regarding health issues).
– There are two basic rules in the treatment and prevention of diseases: the rational use of medications and nutritional supplements and the patient’s assistance in treatment. Every pharmacy client should receive an explanation from a pharmacist regarding the correct use of medications.
What does it mean to use medications rationally?
– This means that the patient takes exactly the medications he needs in accordance with correctly identified symptoms, tests performed, and accurately diagnosed. The correct dose of the drug is also important, especially if you think regarding infants, seniors and pay attention to the weight or age of the person using the medicine. Equally important is the correct dosage regimen – how many times a day should you take the medicine, at what time, when should you start taking it – before symptoms appear or when they already exist, explains the pharmacist and adds: – Another factor taken into account is the period of use of the medicine or dietary supplement. The course of treatment can be as short as one day, and it can also be long-term or permanent, as in the case of a chronic disease.
It is very important not to arbitrarily stop taking medications or make decisions that are not consistent with the therapy prescribed by the doctor or the recommendations of the pharmacist.
It is also important that taking medications is convenient for the patient, and this is possible since the range of dosage forms is quite wide. If taking medications is convenient and not unpleasant, this encourages participation in treatment for both young and adult patients.
The dosage forms available for infants are drops, syrups, suspensions, suppositories, while the most common forms for adults are tablets and capsules. Seniors can choose a dosage form that suits their health, including their mental state.
The rational use of drugs is necessary to achieve good results – for a person to recover or improve the quality of his life, and also to ensure that health care resources and the patient’s personal resources are used rationally and effectively.
We must remember!
– You should drink enough water with the tablet or capsule and follow the prescribed medication regimen (before meals, following meals or during meals). Here are some examples:
• Medicines that reduce stomach acidity should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning or before bed, while enzyme preparations should be taken during the main meal.
• Iron supplements are recommended to be taken on an empty stomach, as their absorption is facilitated by stomach acid.
• Non-steroidal pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are taken mainly following meals to reduce irritation of the gastrointestinal tract.
• It is important to take homeopathic medicines at least 30 minutes or even an hour before or following meals, keeping them in the mouth for as long as possible, since the action of these medicines occurs through the mucous membrane of the mouth.
Coated pills cannot be divided!
– It must be taken into account that coated tablets (this can be read on the medicine packaging) are not intended for division. The shell of various colors (it can be white) provides a certain mode of dissolution of the tablet – slow dissolution or absorption only in the small intestine. The coating can provide a long-term, gradual effect of the drug, for example, when taken in the morning, the active substance will work throughout the day. The coating also protects the active substances of the drugs from the aggressive effects of stomach acid, explains the pharmacist and adds: “Tablets are often coated to make them more slippery and easier to swallow. There are also some chemicals that dissolve quickly once in the mouth, so a coating is needed to delay dissolution until the tablet reaches the stomach.
Correct separation of tablets
– The easiest way to take an exact dose of the drug is a tablet and capsule, which are taken without separating them. Tablets can be divided if they have one or more dividing lines. Sometimes the tablets may be split to make them easier to swallow, but the manufacturer has indicated that the tablets should not be split to reduce the dose.
To accurately separate tablets that can be split and have a dividing line, you can purchase a tablet splitter from your pharmacy – a device containing a blade and a small storage container in which the tablet can be stored following separation. This division ensures hygiene, accuracy and convenience of the process – the tablet does not fall, fly away, or crumble. The devices are designed to separate tablets of different sizes.
What regarding capsules?
– Capsules are usually taken unopened. Opening is allowed in special cases, for example, it is allowed to open preparations containing enzymes that are dissolved in a small amount of acidic liquid. However, capsules are generally designed to be swallowed whole without chewing. The capsule shell protects the active substances from the effects of stomach acid, and the medication gets exactly where it should go.
Sucking tablets
– Sucking tablets are usually intended for sore throats, so it is imperative to maintain an interval of at least 30 minutes between taking the tablet and eating or drinking so that the active components of the medication can locally act on the mucous membrane of the throat and pharynx. Otherwise, if you drink or eat, the drug will go directly into the stomach.
How not to make a mistake with the dose
– The manufacturer adds a measuring device to syrups, suspensions and solutions – a spoon, cup, pipette or syringe (without a needle). These dosage forms are most often used in pediatrics or the elderly, so dosage should be based on the weight or age of the user.
If a measuring device is not attached to the medication or it is lost, you can purchase a syringe of the appropriate size from the pharmacy that is suitable for the correct dosage of the medication.
It is sometimes difficult for seniors to see the markings on the dispenser because it is transparent. Household members need to make a clearly visible mark on the outside of the measuring container with a marker. This greatly facilitates the correct dosage of the drug,” advises Eva Virza and reminds that any dispenser should be washed immediately following administration and placed in a clean, dry place.
If a dispenser is not available, it is traditionally accepted that 5 ml is the volume of a teaspoon, 10 ml is a dessert spoon, 15 ml is a tablespoon. True, today the sizes of spoons can be very different, so you should not rely on their accuracy when dosing medications.
Useful dates sometimes expire quickly
– After opening syrups and liquids, their period of use is usually limited from a couple of days to two to three months, so the date of opening of the drug must be noted. This especially applies to medications intended for children. If, for example, an anesthetic syrup was discovered six months ago, the effect will no longer be as intended.
Before using syrups, liquids, or suspensions, medications must be shaken thoroughly so that they have the correct concentration. If it is indicated that the syrup or suspension must be prepared at home before use, you must strictly follow the instructions, using cooled boiled water and adding it to a certain level. At the same time, in order not to dilute too much (this can happen by accident), it is important to add water in parts. Even a small amount of incorrectly added water changes the dose of the medicine, and thereby the effect. After adding water, shake the bottle and place it on a flat surface. To ensure that the suspension is uniform and that a larger amount of the drug is not concentrated in the lower part, before use it is necessary to evaluate what the suspension looks like at the bottom of the bottle.
Be careful with the drops!
As real life shows, dripping medicine is a very delicate task that requires precision. You need to pay attention to the number of drops and, counting the drops, concentrate only on this. Usually dripped into a small amount of water. If you take more, you must remember that the entire solution must be used.
Particular attention should be paid to drops containing oil, such as vitamin D3. Oil drops are viscous, drip more slowly, and it is more difficult to count how many drops are put into your mouth. In young children, this process is hampered by mobility, their activity and impatience, and in older people – by clumsiness of their hands.
It is important not to add drops to porridge or yogurt because you never know if all the food will be eaten, and often drops of oil remain on the edges of the dish. It is better to drip them, for example, onto a small piece of bread, which you can eat immediately.
Nutritional supplements (including vitamin D) are also produced in the form of aerosols, which are sprayed in doses under the tongue or on the inner mucous membrane of the cheeks.
Correct use of ointment and gel
– The main rule is not to apply to too large areas. It must be remembered that especially painkillers may have photosensitizing properties and, therefore, the smeared area of skin should not be exposed to the sun. The average amount of ointment or gel that can be applied to a sore spot is the size of a cherry to a walnut. The area treated with ointment or gel should not be covered with non-breathable material – a plaster, a compress. After applying the ointment or gel, be sure to wash your hands.
Plasters: main rules of use
– Pain relieving patches are intended for local use on a sore spot. Some manufacturers offer gel patches. If it is glued to a moving part of the body, for example, on the lower back, knee or elbow, it is recommended to additionally fix it with a breathable patch so that the therapeutic patch does not slip off when moving, since then the dose and effect will be incorrect. Most of these patches last up to 24 hours.
Alcohol-containing drops: be careful!
– If you have taken 20–30 drops of alcohol, then you should not drive, since almost all such drugs contain 70% alcohol, which actually means a very high concentration. In addition, this fact must be taken into account if other medications are also taken at the same time, since almost all medications will have some interaction with alcohol: either the concentration of the drug under the influence of alcohol increases – and the risk of side effects also increases, or vice versa – the drug will be inactivated.
Good helper – pill organizer
Pill organizers, which can be purchased at pharmacies, are helpful for regularly taking tablets, capsules and dragees. It can be for one day or a week. The organizer will make it easier to take medications, especially if you need to take several medications daily, as well as a nutritional supplement.
Such a medicine box will be useful, for example, for a busy and always in a hurry person who forgets to take his medicine, and for an elderly person who lives alone – so that a relative or carer can make sure that the dose of the daily medicine is taken when visiting him.
Assistance in treatment is important for everyone!
The basis for facilitating treatment is clear and successful communication between doctor, patient and pharmacist. If necessary, you should also involve other family members who can help your loved one use medications correctly. It is worth remembering that you should definitely consult a pharmacist regarding taking medications and interactions with other medications, nutritional supplements and food.
In case of any uncertainty, in order to completely eliminate errors when taking medications, the pharmacist will be able to contact the doctor.
#BB.lv #correct #medications
2024-05-06 01:38:38
