TAKING YOUR MEDICATION ON TIME

DR. KARL SIMON, PHARMD, BCGP & DR. JONATHAN PARK, PHARMD

Fifty percent of individuals do not take prescription medications management of your medications. Each “bubble” contains your as prescribed. This non-adherence can cause a decrease in medication for that day and you will “punch” that bubble on the overall health and is the leading cause of preventable death and calendar date. increased healthcare costs around the world. • Medication Synchronization: If you are on several medications Why don’t patients take medications on time? Patients who intend to take medications as prescribed usually and make multiple trips to the pharmacy, this will allow your medications to be filled at the same day every month. Saves times and money! encounter one or more barriers that cause medication non-adherence. There are several barriers and they can be classified as patient related or treatment related. Patient related barriers are behaviors exhibited by the patient and • Additional Support Resources: Your local community or pharmacy may have additional programs to support your medication and lifestyle needs. Ex. Free blood glucose or blood pressure screenings. includes forgetfulness/motivation, denial of medical condition, lack of understanding of treatments and lack of support. • Consult with your primary care physician or senior care pharmacist: If you think you are experiencing side effects or do Patient Related Barriers not fully understand the reasons for taking your medications speak with your physician or senior care pharmacist to discuss alternative • Forgetfulness/Motivation: Not remembering to take medications therapies. Your pharmacist will also be able to help with managing on time the costs and complexity of your medications. • Denial: Thinking that medication is not necessary, will try other methods to treat medical condition About the authors: • Health Literacy: Not fully understanding the importance for medications especially for diseases with no physical symptoms ex. Dr. Karl Simon is a Board-Certified Geriatric (Senior Care) Pharmacist and the owner of Suwanee Pharmacy in Suwanee, GA. high cholesterol Dr. Jonathan Park is a recent graduate of the Philadelphia College of • Lack of Support: No family or social support to encourage healthy lifestyle habits Medicine (PCOM) School of Pharmacy in Suwanee, GA and is seeking employment opportunity within Geriatrics or Outcomes Research.

Treatment related barriers are directly related to the medication and includes cost, side effects, complexity of therapy and accessibility.

Treatment Related Barriers

• Cost : Cannot afford medications with or without insurance • Side Effects: Medication causing undesired effects • Complexity: Too many medications at different times of the day • Accessibility: Lack of transportation, medication unavailability, long wait times

What can I do to help me take my medications on time?

Taking medications on time can be challening and requires a personal commitment to your health. After all, how would you know if your medications are working if not taken as presrcibed? Here are a few ideas to help with managing your medications. • Use a pill box: Place your medications in a pill box, depending on your medication regimen there are various types of boxes that will allow multiple administration times. • Set a reminder/alarm on your cell phone: If you are taking medications throughout the day set an alarm on your phone. • There’s an app for that! There are several “medication reminder” apps for your smart phone both on the android and apple operating systems. • Daily Routine: Create a daily routine and incorporate your medications into it. Ex. If you take a medication at bedtime then leave that medication on your night stand next to your favorite book or next to your phone charger. • Bubble Packaging/Punch Card: This allows easy access and

Listen To Your Heart

After an unexpected outcome from HeartFlow Analysis, Doris Kolakalapudi if I could Croker has never been so certain that everything in life happens come in after my hair for a reason. appointment, I couldn’t Doris Croker has no shortage of things keeping her busy. Whether she’s spending time with one of her five grandchildren, going bowling with her believe it was anything too serious.” Village of Deaton Creek teammates, playing Bocce or cheering on her When Doris went in later husband Phil at his softball games, she enjoys living life to the fullest. Even when a sudden jolt of chest pain and shortness of breath caught her off that day, she learned that one of her coronary arteries had a 75% guard, Doris didn’t let it stop her. blockage and another had a 50% “I didn’t have chest pain all the time, it was only when my heart rate was elevated from moving quickly or exerting myself,” Doris explained. “So I blockage. “I had absolutely no idea,” Doris recalled. “None of my routine wasn’t too worried.” tests had ever detected any issues.” While she knew this was something abnormal, she thought it may just be a To ensure that she received care as part of growing older. As long as she could control it and avoid that dreaded quickly as possible, Ryan Whitney, M.D., feeling of someone grabbing and squeezing her chest, she could continue an interventional cardiologist at The Heart on with her daily life. Center of NGMC, placed three stents that

Doris was finally forced to confront this feeling when a trip to Washington, same afternoon. D.C. with her husband, Phil, had her doing the very activities she had been “Since having those stents placed, I haven’t had any avoiding — walking fast, going up and down stairs and chest pain at all,” Doris said. “But in doing this for days on end. She had to tell her husband. “With all the different sites and the walking tours, we were going up and down stairs and trying to keep up with tour guides, I just couldn’t avoid the chest pain,” Doris said. “As soon as I told Phil about this symptom, he made me promise to go to the doctor as soon as we got home.” Having been a longtime resident in Braselton, Doris chose to schedule her appointment at The Heart Center of Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC). After she What is HeartFlow? HeartFlow Analysis in a non-invasive medical procedure used to asses coronary artery disease. looking back, I realize that all those episodes of chest pain happened for a reason — they were telling me to go to the doctor before it was too late.” Unfortunately, it’s not all that uncommon for health warning signs, like chest pain, to be ignored or missed. described her symptoms to the physician assistant, the first step was to have an echocardiogram, a test that uses ultrasound to create a picture of the heart and enables the physician to evaluate heart structure and function We take data from a standard CT scan to create a 3D model of the coronary arteries “When it comes to heart disease, we frequently see women downplaying their symptoms or delaying care,” However, because the results of the test were inconclusive, Pavani Kolakalapudi, M.D., a non-invasive cardiologist at The Heart Center of NGMC, was consulted. “What was most concerning about Doris’ case was the fact & analyzes the impact blockages have on the flow of blood your heart. said Dr. Kolakalapudi. “As a result, when women finally do seek treatment, they’re often diagnosed with more severe that her symptoms and the results of the echocardiogram or advanced levels of heart didn’t match up,” said Dr. Kolakalapudi. “Because the underlying cause of her symptoms remained unclear, I knew she would be a great candidate for HeartFlow Analysis.” Traditionally if coronary artery disease was suspected, doctors had to rely on invasive heart procedures such as catheterization to make an official diagnosis. Now, with HeartFlow Analysis, providers are able to get this same in-depth information by utilizing a CT scan to create a 3D model of a patient’s coronary arteries and uncover any potential blockages. “We are excited to have been the first in the state of Georgia to offer this life-saving technology,” Dr. Kolakalapudi said. “With HeartFlow analysis, we can detect partial blockages in the coronary arteries — and treat them — disease.” While reflecting on her experiences at The Heart Center of NGMC, Doris said she feels grateful — for HeartFlow Analysis, for her extraordinary support system and most of all, for a life free of chest pain and limitations. “You may think that you have control over your health, or you may tell yourself that it’s something that will eventually just go away,” Doris said. “But I’m living proof that isn’t always the case.” before a patient suffers a heart attack or cardiac event.” To learn more about The Heart Center of NGMC, or The day after Doris’ screening, Dr. Kolakalapudi called her. “You know it’s never a good sign if the doctor calls you the very next day and asks you to come in,” Doris said. “I still remember that phone call and asking Dr. to request an in-person or video visit with one of our distinguished cardiologists, call 770-343-4239 or visit heartngmc.org/beat.

How To Wear Cloth Face Coverings

In an effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where it can be difficult to maintain social distancing measures. That means people are advised to wear cloth face coverings while shopping for groceries or in any other settings where it might be difficult to stay at least six feet away from other people.

In recognition that the notion of wearing face coverings while in public is foreign to many people, the CDC issued instructions on how to wear such coverings to ensure they provide as much protection as possible.

HOW TO WEAR CLOTH FACE COVERINGS The CDC notes that cloth face coverings should:

• Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face • Be secured with ties or ear loops • Include multiple layers of fabric • Allow for breathing without restriction

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

The CDC says face coverings should be avoided by certain people. Such coverings should not be placed on children under age two. In addition, people who have trouble breathing, those who are incapacitated and people who cannot remove coverings without assistance should not wear them. The CDC also notes that cloth face coverings does not refer to surgical masks or N-95 respirators. The CDC urges everyone to reserve such supplies for health care workers and other medical first responders.

Cloth face coverings should be routinely washed. A washing machine should be enough to clean these coverings. When removing cloth face coverings, do so carefully. The CDC urges people to avoid touching their eyes, nose and/or mouth when removing their face coverings. Once the coverings are removed, people should wash their hands immediately. Cloth face coverings can help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. While wearing such coverings is a simple gesture, it’s also one that can save lives. More information is available at www.cdc.gov.

COVID-19 has more people relying on digital communication. It’s still important to remain safe online.

Practice Digital Safety While Social Distancing

As COVID-19 spread across the globe, it was evident that strong measures would need to be taken to help slow the rate of infection so as to not overwhelm the health systems. Schools shifted to remote learning, nonessential workers were asked to work remotely and families were told to engage in internet-based chats in lieu of in-person gatherings. Staying home dramatically increased reliance on the internet. Heightened use of the internet and digital products puts users at risk when they go online. Brandongaille Small Business & Marketing Advice offers that 82 percent of predators use social networking sites to target victims by learning about them. In addition, many identity theft crimes are perpetrated online.

The following are a handful of ways people can stay safe as they rely on the internet more and more.

• Limit the information you share. Children and adults should limit how much personal information they share online. Do not share bank account numbers, birth dates, addresses, and other information readily - especially on unsecured sites. • Utilize private browsers. It's possible to set browsers to private mode and lock down social media accounts to offer the bare minimum of information to the public. However, even with such precautions, websites and applications may be collecting information and using it for marketing purposes. Law enforcement, website administrators and even hackers may be able to access private information, according to the computer security company Norton. • Take note of your surroundings. People who engage in video chats or share images online should be aware of their immediate surroundings. Do items in the house in view of the camera give indication of personal identity details? Are there any embarrassing or inappropriate belongings in view? Check reflections in windows and mirrors to make sure that others in the house are not inadvertently showing up online as well. Consider limiting video or photo use in bedrooms, especially for children. • Be careful of attachments. Exercise caution when downloading attachments from unknown sources through social media, chat rooms or email. Do not click on unrecognizable links, which could be harboring viruses that steal data. • Use only a secure internet connection. Always use a secure internet connection when sharing important data, such as credit card numbers or banking information. Password protect all Wi-Fi networks.

These are some ways to stay safe as internet activity increases in the wake of social distancing mandates.