Pharmacists War on Diabetes Month

By Terry Orr

(Type 2 Diabetic)

A War with Diabetes!!!

Why the War?

An estimated 23.6 million Americans have diabetes.  Unfortunately, 5.7 million Americans don't know they have the deadly disease.  Pharmacists are one of the most available health care professionals and have the greatest potential to impact the threat of diabetes. 

Complications of Diabetes:

Heart Disease & Stroke: Diabetics are 2 to 4 times more likely to die from heart disease and stroke than non-diabetics.  Sixty-five percent of diabetics will die of heart disease or stroke.

Blindness: Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults age 20-74.

Kidney Disease: Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure.

Nervous System Disease: 60 to 70% of diabetics have a mild to severe form of nervous system damage.  The results of such damage include impaired sensation or pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion of food in the stomach, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other nerve problems.

Amputations: Diabetes is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation.  

Complications of Pregnancy: Poorly controlled diabetes can increase the risk of miscarriage or cause major birth defects.

Sexual Dysfunction: Diabetes significantly increases the risk for sexual dysfunction in both men and women. 

Here are some of the new drugs in the War on Diabetes:

Invokana will be sold by Johnson & Johnson and treats patients with type 2 diabetes in a new way, by causing blood sugar to be excreted in the urine. Many existing drugs work by affecting the supply or use of insulin. FDA approved this drug in late March of this year.

Dapagliflozin by AstraZeneca/Bristol-Myers Squibb, The drugs offer a different way than insulin therapy to lower blood sugar, preventing excess sugar in the kidneys from reentering circulation and allowing glucose to exit the body via urine.

LY2605541 - by Eli Lilly/Boehringer Ingelheim, a potential long-acting insulin option.

MK-3102 by Merck & Co., a once-weekly DPP-4 inhibitor.

Taking Control

Mayo Clinic Type 2 Diabetes Prevention: 5 tips for taking control (Changing your lifestyle could be a big step toward diabetes prevention — and it's never too late to start) consider these tips:

Tip 1: Get more physical activity

There are many benefits to regular physical activity. Exercise can help you:

Lose weight

Lower your blood sugar

Boosts your sensitivity to insulin — which helps keep your blood sugar within a normal range

Research shows that both aerobic exercise and resistance training can help control diabetes, but the greatest benefit comes from a fitness program that includes both.

Tip 3: Go for whole grains

Although it's not clear why, whole grains may reduce your risk of diabetes and help maintain blood sugar levels. Try to make at least half your grains whole grains. Many foods made from whole grains come ready to eat, including various breads, pasta products and many cereals. Look for the word "whole" on the package and among the first few items in the ingredient list.

Tip 4: Lose extra weight

If you're overweight, diabetes prevention may hinge on weight loss. Every pound you lose can improve your health. And you may be surprised by how much. In one study, overweight adults reduced their diabetes risk by 16 percent for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight lost. Also, those who lost a modest amount of weight — at least 5 to 10 percent of initial body weight — and exercised regularly reduced the risk of developing diabetes by almost 60 percent over three years.

Tip 5: Skip fad diets and make healthier choices

Low-carb diets, the glycemic index diet or other fad diets may help you lose weight at first, but their effectiveness at preventing diabetes isn't known nor are their long-term effects. And by excluding or strictly limiting a particular food group, you may be giving up essential nutrients. Instead, think variety and portion control as part of an overall healthy-eating plan.

Be sure to see your primary healthcare provider and discus the plan best for you.

References and Links:

http://www.miracledkc.com

http://www.curediabetesblog.com/2013/diabetes-pick-me-ups/tips-for-the-newly-diagnosed-diabetic-some-ideas-but-by-no-means-the-only-way/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/30/business/invokana-wins-fda-approval-for-diabetes-treatment.html?_r=0

http://henhouseforms.mywebgrocer.com/PharmacyNewsletters/2009/04/page2.html

(All images from Google) 

National Pharmacist Day - 2013

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By Nurse Diane

Yesterday I told you about hot toddy's…and the chant from Ole Miss, a major university here in Mississippi.  Well Ole Miss is known for more things besides football, and drinks.  It also has a superior medical school and pharmacy school.  I should know, my uncle, my father's brother, graduated from Ole Miss with a degree in Pharmacy.  Following graduation, he began a career with Upjohn, a drug manufacturing company, and he visited local doctors educating them about the new drugs that were currently on the market that would help their patients.

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Pharmacology, the study of medicines, is a very difficult field to practice.  When I was in nursing school, I had to complete a course in pharmacology.  Not only did we have to learn about the drug, we had to learn how it worked, what medications it worked with or against, what side effects it may have.  There are thousands of medications out there too!  Not only are there several medications, but there are also several different categories.  You have a group of drugs that work on pain, a group of meds for sleeping, antibiotics, allergies, the list is endless.

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Of course no one can be expected to learn all the medications, that is why there is a PDR, or physician's desk reference that lists all the medications and their properties.   However a pharmacist must be able to know about the different categories, and their actions and interactions with other medications.

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Pharmacists have a long and tired day on the job.  Several hours filling prescriptions, standing on their feet, and dealing with insurance companies and doctor's offices all day.  Rarely do they have time to interact with customers but when they can, they are knowledgeable about the medications they are dispensing.  Each medication has to be verified several times, when they remove the pill from the shelf, it has to be verified.  When they read the prescription, it must be verified again, when the amount is counted out, it must be verified again.  and when it placed in the bottle with the name of the patient, if must be verified again.  These checks make the possibility of an error decrease.  Pharmacists take extra precautions to ensure that the right person receives the right medication.

Today is National Pharmacist day, so if you happen to go to a drug store, don't forget to give a shout out to the pharmacist there, and let them know you appreciate their job.  And to my Uncle TD, Happy Pharmacist Day!!

10/2 October is Talk about Prescriptions Month

By Diane Forrest, RN

"What time is it?" I would ask my dad.  He would answer" Why? You taking a pill?"  I said, "Yes".  He would reply, “What time is your next pill?"

I always had to work to get the time out of my father, and I can't tell you how many times we had that same conversation, but one thing is certain.  If you are taking medication, you must take it at the prescribed times.  October is Talk about Prescriptions Month, so today I would like to share with you a few rules about Medications.

First and foremost, only take medications that are prescribed for you.  Even if medications treat the same problem, they may work differently.  If you have an infection, and a friend offers you an antibiotic.  Don't take it, wait till you see or call your own doctor.

Take your medication at the prescribed time.  They have these doses for a reason.  This reason is very complicated, but in a nutshell, drugs have what is called a half-life.  What this means is the amount of time it takes for a drug to lose half of its effectiveness.  For example, you are prescribed a pain medication.  It is ordered to take one every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain.  This medication will probably have its half- life in 6 hours, you will need to take another one if the pain is still present to keep the amount even in your body.  If you take the drug too soon, you will have too much in your body, and if you wait longer, it will take longer for the medication to work.  Your main objective is to keep an even amount of the medication in your bloodstream so it will be effective in relieving the problem.

Check all the rules for the medication.  There are so many different rules that come with each medication.  While some may not have any special directions, some include things like:

• Don’t take with another type of medication or certain type of liquid, like milk;
• Take on an empty or full stomach;
• Don't crush;
• Keep in the refrigerator;
• Keep out of sunlight;
• If you miss a dose, wait til the next scheduled time, do not take 2 at one time;
• Take first thing in the morning;
• Take at bedtime; and
• Take all the medication and Do not stop if you are feeling better.

There are many other rules.  These are in place to make sure the medication is working properly.  Some medications, if stopped suddenly can cause the body harm.  They are required to be tapered off.  Antibiotics, if stopped too soon, will allow the infection to return.

Side effects:

Always know what side effects are caused by your medication.  Some side effects are minor and can just be an inconvenience.  Others can be dangerous and life threatening and require immediate emergency treatment.  These days when you pick up your prescriptions at the drugstore, they will attach a sheet that covers all the special directions, and side effects, and precautions.  Make sure you are familiar with this information, and even if you have been taking the same medication for a long period of time, it is still a good idea to refresh your memory every now and then.

Other important information includes:

• Only take medications that are prescribed for you;
• Never share your medications with anyone;
• Check the expiration dates, and disposes of out of date medication; and
• Keep all medications away from children.

 Also talk with your primary physician about your medications, especially during your annual physical – to review the current medications that you’re own, and those you have been taking for an extended period of time. (Akindman)