Quick quiz: What is Polypharmacy?
a. The parrot mascot at your local pharmacy.
b. Taking more medications than are clinically warranted.
c. Going to more than one pharmacy.
The answer is b. Taking more medications than are clinically warranted. But answer c. Going to more than one pharmacy is often a problem that exacerbates polypharmacy.
One of the easiest (and most important and far-reaching) things you can do for your peace of mind and the senior in your life is to create a list of the medications that they take.
You can use our form or any one of dozens you can find online (search for List of Medications) or just grab a piece of paper and start scribbling.
You can ask your mom what she takes (the straight-forward approach), but if she has Alzheimer’s or you fear some dementia or memory problems you can invoke the "brown bag" technique.
The "brown bag" technique is elegant in its simplicity…ask her (or you can do it) to simply grab all the medications, supplements, vitamins, herbs, creams, rubs, drops, inhalers or whatnot that she takes or uses daily, or ever uses. Put them in a brown bag (it can be a different color…brown is usually available). You’ve got to love this kind of simplicity in the age of the computer.
Then, simply, start a list. If you are pressed for time, the most important information to have in an emergency (like when your mom is unconscious in the ER) is item #1—the names of the drugs she is taking. The rest of the information is valuable to her or her caregivers for remembering what to take and when to take it, and the list as a whole is invaluable whenever she sees her doctor or when there is a concern about polypharmacy.
- Name of drug, supplement, vitamin, herb, etc ...
Be sure to include both the trade name and generic name.
- Dose or Dosage
Dosage is a combination of two things—the strength of each pill or application (how much of the drug is in each) and how many pills to take at one time. "Daily dose" refers to how much she should be taking in a 24-hour period.
- What does it look like?
Is it a little round blue pill? Hexagonal pink? Stamped with a number or letter? This will help them or their care-givers to know that the right medication is being administered if the pills have been taken out of their bottles. One caveat—companies making generic medications may change the look of the pill. Be sure to have your senior look at the pills each time a prescription is filled. This not only double-checks the pharmacy’s work, but lets the patient know right away if the pill shape or color has changed.
- When to take it
What time of day or under what circumstances should this be taken or used. For example—a sleeping pill should be taken before bedtime. Another pill might only be taken at the onset of pain.
- How often to take it
Is this taken more than once a day? Or a certain number of times a week?
- How to take it
Should this be taken with meals or on an empty stomach? With water, but never with milk?
- Who told them to take it
We’d like to think that only doctors are telling our parents what to take, but in reality, it might be Aunt Emma, the crazy neighbor, some guy on a PBS special, or a lady in the aisle at the grocery store.
- When they started the drug, when they should stop (or did stop)
Is this a maintenance drug or something they are to take temporarily?
- Why are they taking this drug?
What is it for? Pain? Sleeping? High blood pressure? An infection?
What is it you want to get out of this exercise?
Well for starters, someone (anyone) else besides them should have a list of what meds they are taking in case of an emergency. When mom is in a coma is not a good time to try and figure this out.
Secondly, chances are good (really good) that if they are taking more than one prescription medication, then they might be having adverse reactions with the combinations of drugs (and supplements) they are taking.
Who can figure this out? Well if you happen to be their kid as well as a physician, pharmacist or nurse, then you can figure it out.
If not, then ask a physician, pharmacist or nurse. You might have to be insistent and ask them in a number of ways. Show them the whole list (visual.) Tell them what you know (auditory). Have them feel the nasty red rash on your Dad’s arm (tactile), and smell the funny odor coming from his mouth (olfactory). Maybe refrain from any taste sensations unless you’ve brought them some home-baked brownies. It doesn’t relate to Dad’s med issues, but you might get the doctor’s attention. (The way to anyone’s heart is through the stomach.)
A review of Dad’s meds might reveal: adverse drug interactions (two or more drugs are causing more problems than they are fixing); wrong medication (Dad should be on a different drug); over or under-dosing (your Dad is on the right drug, but the dosage should be adjusted up or down).
What steps can a caregiver take?
- Create a list of all medications being taken. Have your senior keep a copy of this list in their wallet or purse, a copy at home and a copy for you, a close friend or other relative.
- Make sure all their doctors are aware of all the medications they are taking. One specialist might not be aware of what another specialist has prescribed. Have them take the medications list with them to every doctor appointment.
- Advise your senior to go to only one pharmacy or one pharmacy chain. Ask the pharmacy if they keep a list of all the drugs the patient is taking and if it is automatically run through an interactions database or if they have to do that manually. Keeping to one chain drugstore might help if your senior is traveling and needs to have something filled out of her home area.
- If your Mom or Dad is experiencing some new issues, don’t just assume it’s part of the aging process. It might well be the medications he or she is on.
- What’s good for the goose is good for the gander (so to speak). It’s never too early to start a medications list for yourself and follow all this advice!
Pill Identifier interactive tool
Drugs.com
Pill Image Search Tool
Drugs.com
