KNOWLEDGE: THE BEST MEDICINE

1. KNOWLEDGE:THE BEST MEDICINE Presented by Marie Botrus B.Pharm, M.Sc. St-Mary's Hospital

2. Choosing a pharmacy • Choose 1 pharmacy • Fill your medication there consistently • Reason: pharmacist knows ALL your medication • Pharmacist can check for possible drug interaction and allergy if new prescription is filled

3. Choosing a pharmacy • Drugstore : near your home, in your clinic or near your work • Pharmacy you select should suit your needs • Where pharmacist takes time answering your question, either in person or over the phone

4. Storing your medicine safely • Storing medication improperly can make it less effective • Survey found that in some cases, medication are organized in a secure location. • In other cases, medications are in various locations in different rooms, such as…

5. Storing your medicine safely • Kitchen (inside the microwave, on the stove-op, on sunny windowsill) • Bathroom (medicine cabinet, back of toilet, cupboard under leaky sink) • Linen closet (between layers of sheet) • Bedroom (under mattress, behind pillows, in desk drawers)

6. Storing your medicine safely • Most of these locations signal potential safety risks for visiting children • Raise concerns about the integrity of the medication • Results also in memory challenges for dose administration Lack of a single storage place for regular medication leads to a greater chance of missed doses

7. Where keep your medicine safely? • In a cabinet in a cool, dry environment Not in bathroom or kitchen: too moist and warm • Keep medication in their original containers • Locked cabinet that is out of the reach of children • Store medication properly : some need to be refrigerated and others must be kept away from light

8. Storing your medicine safely • All medication container should be tightly sealed to prevent from spoiling • If it is hard for you to open child-resistant tops, ask your pharmacist for easy-to-open tops • Always check the expiration dates of your medication. • Take unused or expired medication to your pharmacist for disposal. Do not discard them in the garbage or flush them down the toilet

9. Remembering your medication • Remember to take your medication regularly and on time • Tips to remember: • Try to link taking medication with other activities that are part of your daily routine, such as meals or bedtime • Once a day : watching the evening news / with your breakfast • Twice a day : brushing your teeth (turn the bottle upside down in the morning and right side up in the evening) • Four times a day : with three meals and at bedtime

10. Remembering your medication You will know by looking at the container if you have missed a dose • Use of dosett • Set an alarm that will remind to take your medication A plastic container which have separate compartments for each day of the week and four times of the day

11. Managing your medication • Learn about your medication by asking questions to your doctor and your pharmacist • Name of the medication • How often you should take it • Purpose of this medication • Always follow directions on the label (with food / empty stomach – shake first – refrigerate) • Repeat instructions in your own words to your pharmacist • If you don't understand the instructions, don't be shy to ask your pharmacist

12. Managing your medication • Do not change the way you take your medication unless instructed to do so • You cannot stop your medication just because you feel better • Never take another person's medication even if it is the same drug or have a similar name • Good habit to keep a list of your medication with you • Always inform your healthcare professionals about any allergies to medication or if you suspect you have previously experienced an adverse or allergic reaction to a particular medicine

13. Managing side effects • Ask about side effects to your pharmacist when you fill out your prescription • Some side effects are common and are not dangerous • Others can signal that a drug is not right for you • If you do not feel right, call your pharmacist or your doctor

14. Natural products • Natural does not mean harmless ! • Not without risk • Side effects may occur • Grapefruit + Seville’s orange might modify the effect of certain medication • Always verify with your pharmacist

15. Understanding the drug label

16. The 5 rights of medication • The right person • The right dose • The right medicine • The right time • The right way

17. Thank you for your time!