New Medication has Implications to avoid Would-be Chronic Diseases
By Jisha Thomas, PharmD Introduction Obesity rates are at an all-time high at 42.4%, according to the latest CDC records from 2017 to 2018. This number has increased dramatically from 30.5% according to the records ranging from 1999 to 2000.1 Obesity increases the risk for many health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood […]
Seniors and Their Meds: Top 5 Recommendations on Medication Safety
By Saima Ayub Safely managing medications is crucial for senior health. Studies have shown that roughly 90% of older adults aged 65+ take one medicine, 40% take more than five, and 20% take more than ten. The older one gets, the odds of taking more medications increase and can lead to increased side effects and […]
Medication Overload: How Much, Is Too Much?
Polypharmacy Definition and Risk Factors Polypharmacy is most often defined as the simultaneous use of multiple drugs to treat a single medical condition. This often results in poor coordinated care for the patient because patients who live with multiple chronic conditions are more likely to have a decreased quality of life and self-rated health, lower […]
A New Medicine In The Fight To Manage Parkinson’s
What Is Ongentys? Also known by its generic name, opicapone, Ongentys is a new COMT inhibitor that was approved by the FDA in April 2020 for use in the treatment of off episodes for patients with Parkinson’s disease. Currently, COMT inhibitors that are on the market consist of tolcapone and entacapone, and while both products […]
Polypharmacy Demographics: Studying The Rise In Over Prescribing
Polypharmacy is the utilization of multiple medications for one or more conditions generally regarded as treatment with five or more medications simultaneously. The elderly population is most susceptible to this practice, with nearly 40-50% of elderly patients being prescribed an array of medications to treat multiple conditions. Swedish Study Shows Increases As Patients Age: As […]