Do something for yourself this year.  It is easy to take good health for granted.  Unfortunately, an attitude that ignorance is bliss toward health will catch up with you eventually.  Your pharmacists are not simply interested in providing your medication.  We want to help you be sure it works.  We can partner with you to assure your medication is effective and that something is done about it if it you are not at your health goal.

 

Do you take medicine for high cholesterol?

Cholesterol is one of the many risk factors for heart disease.  You cannot assume that your medication lowers your cholesterol values to goal.  You should know your cholesterol number.  Check your cholesterol with a quick finger-stick test at the pharmacy.  We can explain what your numbers mean and help you know what you would need to do to get to goal.  Additionally, there are often other factors contributing to your risk of heart attack.  Let us help you identify them and do something about it.

 

Do you take high blood pressure medicine?

Blood pressure medicine helps lower the risk of stroke and heart attack.  High blood pressure is a silent problem that is not always fixed by taking a blood pressure drug.  An extra five minutes when you pick up your medicine would be well spent on checking your blood pressure.   Medication is a waste of money if you are not responding to it.  You can only know if it is working by taking the time to find out.

 

Do you have diabetes?

Regular blood sugar monitoring is a key part of maintaining control of diabetes.  Without regular control of blood sugar, people with diabetes risk serious complications that can affect almost every organ system in the body.   Taking an interest in control before complications develop can prevent painful, debilitating problems from occurring or, at least, slow their progression.   Let your pharmacist help select the right meter for you.  Most insurance plans in Virginia cover diabetes education and supplies.  Clearly this indicates it is an important part of your healthcare.

 

A popular service at the pharmacy is the meter download program.  Patients bring their meter to the pharmacy weekly or monthly where we download the results and print them out.  We can then help identify any problems in blood sugar numbers or patterns of concern.  Additionally, physicians find this service very helpful in deciding upon therapy changes.

 

Don’t just take your medicine and assume it is working.  Play an active role in maintaining your own good health.  You are worth it!

 

Written By:  Michelle H. Thomas, Pharm.D.