PHARMACY AWARENESS WEEK
By Trevor Shewfelt, Pharmacist at the Dauphin Clinic Pharmacy
We now have this and most other articles published in the Parkland Shopper on our Website. Please visit us at www.dcp.mb.ca
The information in this article is intended as a helpful guide only. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice. If you have any questions about your medications and what is right for you see your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional.
Pharmacy awareness week is March 7-13, 2005. The theme this year is “You and Your Pharmacist – A Healthy Partnership”. One of the main activities we would like the public to help us with is a Medicine Cabinet Clean-Up! So grab those unused antibiotics from last spring, Uncle Joe’s ointment that he left at your house last year and that expired cough syrup and bring them back to your pharmacy for disposal. Old and expired medication can cause a number of problems if left in your house:
- Expired medications don’t work as well as in date ones
- Expired medications such as tetracycline can actually harm you instead of help you
- If your doctor has switched you from one medication to another, if you leave the old medication in your house you run the risk of accidentally taking the wrong one
As this week is called “Pharmacy Awareness Week” I think I should blow a horn for the profession! I think that we are one of the most accessible health care professionals. For instance, did you know that -
1) We detect and solve any problems with your medication.
Before filling any new prescription, we check your records to make sure you are not allergic to the medication, the dose is correct for you, and to spot possible interactions with other drugs you may be taking. If you experience difficulties after you start taking your medication, such as unpleasant side effects, we can help by suggesting ways to overcome the problem.
2) We answer your questions with expert information.
We have spent more years learning about medications than any other health care professional. Even after we leave school, it is part of our job to stay up to date on new drugs and treatments. Please feel free to ask us anything you would like to know about your medicine or other health-related concerns.
3) We teach you how to use your medicine effectively.
Even the best medicine will not help if it is not taken properly. Sometimes small things - like what time of day you take your medication or what you take with it can make a big difference in the effectiveness. We advise you on how and when to take your medication to make certain you get the greatest benefit from it.
4) We consult your doctor concerning your care.
As partners in your health care, we communicate with your doctor whenever necessary to ensure your drug therapy is going according to plan. We are always available to discuss your medications with your doctor.
5) We give you advice on staying healthy.
We give personalized counselling on topics such as vitamins and nutritional supplements, and how to use products designed to help you stop smoking. We also offer a wide range of educational materials to teach you good health habits.
6) We guide you in managing your illness.
Are you living with a chronic illness such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease? We are here to help you monitor your condition, provide advice about the safe use of non-prescription drugs and answer any questions about your medications or your illness. We work with you to keep you on track and feeling the best you can be.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Monday, February 14, 2005
Adderall XR Recall
We now have this and most other articles published in the Parkland Shopper on our Website. Please visit us at www.dcp.ca
The information in this article is intended as a helpful guide only. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice. If you have any questions about your medications and what is right for you see your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional.
On February 9, 2005 Health Canada instructed Shire BioChem Inc. to pull Adderall XR off the market. Adderall XR contains mixed salts of amphetamine in a long acting format and is used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). There is concern that the drug is linked to sudden deaths, heart-related deaths, and strokes in children and adults taking usual doses of Adderall XR (long acting) and Adderall (short acting). The short acting Adderall was never available in Canada.
The concern is that 20 people worldwide have died while taking usual doses of Adderall and Adderall XR. Fourteen of the deaths occurred in children, and six of the deaths occurred in adults. There were 12 reports of strokes, two of which were in children. None of the reported deaths or strokes occurred in Canada.
Health Canada’s decision is not without its opponents. The manufacturer, Shire, points out that approximately 30 million prescriptions of Adderall products were written between 1999 and 2003 (the period of time that the deaths occurred), and that, although unfortunate, the reported number of deaths and strokes in a population that size is to be expected whether they were taking Adderall or not. They state that at least 5 of the cases were in patients with pre-existing heart defects like abnormal arteries, valves or heart walls. This is why in the US the regulating body there, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not pull Adderall off the market. Instead the FDA changed the labeling for Adderall XR to emphasize to doctors not to prescribe Adderall XR to patients with pre-existing heart problems.
So what should you do if you or your child is taking Adderall XR? Contact your doctor about whether to continue the drug in the short term and about getting an alternative medication. After you have got an alternative medication, do not flush the rest of your Adderall XR down the sink or toilet. Return any unused portion of the medication to your pharmacy. The company, Shire, says it will reimburse your money if you return it to the pharmacy on or before March 4, 2005.
So what should you do if you or your child is on a medication in the same class as Adderall XR? Nothing different, yet. Health Canada is reviewing the other ADHD medications and will release information as it becomes available. Until we know different, we will assume the other ADHD medications are safe if used appropriately.
As always if you have any questions or concerns about these or other products, ask your pharmacist.
The information in this article is intended as a helpful guide only. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice. If you have any questions about your medications and what is right for you see your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional.
On February 9, 2005 Health Canada instructed Shire BioChem Inc. to pull Adderall XR off the market. Adderall XR contains mixed salts of amphetamine in a long acting format and is used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). There is concern that the drug is linked to sudden deaths, heart-related deaths, and strokes in children and adults taking usual doses of Adderall XR (long acting) and Adderall (short acting). The short acting Adderall was never available in Canada.
The concern is that 20 people worldwide have died while taking usual doses of Adderall and Adderall XR. Fourteen of the deaths occurred in children, and six of the deaths occurred in adults. There were 12 reports of strokes, two of which were in children. None of the reported deaths or strokes occurred in Canada.
Health Canada’s decision is not without its opponents. The manufacturer, Shire, points out that approximately 30 million prescriptions of Adderall products were written between 1999 and 2003 (the period of time that the deaths occurred), and that, although unfortunate, the reported number of deaths and strokes in a population that size is to be expected whether they were taking Adderall or not. They state that at least 5 of the cases were in patients with pre-existing heart defects like abnormal arteries, valves or heart walls. This is why in the US the regulating body there, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not pull Adderall off the market. Instead the FDA changed the labeling for Adderall XR to emphasize to doctors not to prescribe Adderall XR to patients with pre-existing heart problems.
So what should you do if you or your child is taking Adderall XR? Contact your doctor about whether to continue the drug in the short term and about getting an alternative medication. After you have got an alternative medication, do not flush the rest of your Adderall XR down the sink or toilet. Return any unused portion of the medication to your pharmacy. The company, Shire, says it will reimburse your money if you return it to the pharmacy on or before March 4, 2005.
So what should you do if you or your child is on a medication in the same class as Adderall XR? Nothing different, yet. Health Canada is reviewing the other ADHD medications and will release information as it becomes available. Until we know different, we will assume the other ADHD medications are safe if used appropriately.
As always if you have any questions or concerns about these or other products, ask your pharmacist.
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