When filling prescriptions, a pharmacist has a responsibility to you to ensure a safe experience. For instance, it is the pharmacist’s duty to ensure that a patient is receiving the correct prescription medication and double check with the doctor if the dosage is unclear. As...
Researchers observed 2,235 adults living with Type 2 diabetes, which is generally associated with being overweight, who received stomach-reducing surgery. What these researchers discovered was that after only 6 months, almost 75% of those who received surgery were no longer taking their diabetic medications. Furthermore,...
When filling prescriptions, a pharmacist has a responsibility to you to ensure a safe experience. For instance, it is the pharmacist’s duty to ensure that a patient is receiving the correct prescription medication and double check with the doctor if the dosage is unclear. As a patient, it is prudent to be aware of your safety. Here are five things pharmacists want their patients to know:
Due to pharmacies filling numerous prescriptions at the same time, pharmacists are required to do their work very quickly and efficiently. At any given time, a pharmacist may have over 10 prescriptions in process. It is always a wise idea to check your label to ensure that your prescription is the correct one and that you are getting the right dosage.
We all have limited time in our day and sometimes patients cannot wait for long periods when stopping at a pharmacy. Pharmacists need to be very thorough at their job and it is vital that they get them done correctly, so a waiting period should be met with some tolerance.
Mornings tend to be less hectic than lunchtime and after-work times. In the mornings, pharmacist usually have more time to assist you in understanding the proper use of your prescription.
Many patients face the choice of either purchasing a brand name or generic medication. Brand name and generic drugs share the same active ingredients, meaning that they have the same effect on your body. Regardless of its availability at your local pharmacy, it is best to inquire about the specific comparisons between the brand name and generic drug options.
It is important to remember that refilling prescriptions is not instant and you should allow at least 48 hour notice when you leave a prescription for fill-up.
Diabetes is a fairly common disease that millions of people in the United States are living with each and every day. While diabetes is manageable, the cost of medications to do so can often become difficult to afford. However, results from researchers at Johns Hopkins University may be very promising to certain people suffering from diabetes.
Researchers observed 2,235 adults living with Type 2 diabetes, which is generally associated with being overweight, who received stomach-reducing surgery. What these researchers discovered was that after only 6 months, almost 75% of those who received surgery were no longer taking their diabetic medications. Furthermore, 2 years following the surgery, 84.5% of those who received surgery were now free of their diabetes medication or in many cases, multiple medications.
Not only were many of these patients able to experience a significant decline in their weight after the surgery, they were also able to experience a significant decline in their healthcare costs. With the price of medications in the United States being as high as they are, reducing or eliminating the dependence of medications can make such a difference in a person’s life.
However, researchers made another interesting discovery while observing these patients. While they found that stomach-reducing surgery allowed patients to stop taking their diabetic medications, they found that this became possible even before patients began to experience weight loss from the surgery. This could support theories that suggest that surgery actually alters the stomach hormones, allowing them to control blood glucose levels more effectively.
While there are certain risks associated with this surgery, for diabetics, the benefits may heavily outweigh the risks. In the end a person should discuss the options with their doctor, family, then weigh their options and decide what will be best for themselves.
