EDUCATION CORNER

Care A Gram

June 2017

Prescriptions, Supplements, Over-the-Counter Drugs, Oh My!!!

The United States population over age 65 (and so many of our loved ones) are taking many

medications. It is estimated that 40% of those over age 65 take five or more

prescription medications! When four or more medications are prescribed, it is known as

“polypharmacy”. 1

Polypharmacy has been defined simply as “the use of multiple medications”, and more

specifically as “the simultaneous use of multiple drugs to treat a single ailment or

condition, or the simultaneous use of multiple drugs by a single patient, for one or more

conditions.”

How safe are prescription medications when they are combined with “over-the-counter”

medications and supplements? This can be a very difficult question to answer, and will depend

on the specific medications (prescription and non-prescription) and supplements the patient is

taking!

A recent New York Times Magazine article illustrated this point. 2 This article told the story

of a 69-year old man who was unexpectedly found to have symptoms of a stroke. His partner

worried when she noticed him slurring his words and noticed his “lopsided” face. She helped

him dress and drove him to the emergency room.

He had suffered two strokes and a heart attack in the past, but was carefully

monitored on blood pressure and blood-thinning (“anticoagulant”) medications. His two

previous strokes were caused by small blood clots caused by his irregular

heartbeat (“atrial fibrillation”). This time, however, the CT scan performed at the hospital

showed bleeding in his brain!

What would cause a man at risk for small blood clots travelling to the brain to have a bleed

instead?

The patient’s partner brought all his medication and supplement bottles to the

hospital for the doctors to review. One bottle was a supplement that he had recently starting taking – turmeric - and it was NOT on his list of known medications.

________________________________

http://www.newsweek.com/prescription-drugs-rise-new-estimates-suggest-60-americans-take-least-one-

390354

https://nyti.ms/2q58IBC

A Special Monthly

Newsletter for

Caregivers

Inside this issue:

Prescriptions,

Supplements,

Over-the-Counter Drugs,

Oh My!!!

1

Prescriptions,

Supplements, Over-the-

Counter Drugs, Oh My!!!

continued

2

Support Group

Schedule

3

Family Nurse

Consultants

4

June Special

Events

5

Creative Corner 6

At Alzheimer's Community Care Character Counts!

Sponsored by Alzheimer’s Community Care, Inc. and the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs, State of Florida Agency for Health Care Administration

and the Area Agency on Aging Palm Beach/Treasure Coast Inc.

The mission of Alzheimer’s Community Care is to promote and provide specialized, quality, compassionate care within a

community-based environment to patients and caregivers living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

Page 2 Care A Gram

Turmeric is a spice – a natural product of the ginger plant family. Typically used in curry, a food source of turmeric does not

have enough of its anticoagulant ingredient – curcumin – to cause a problem. However, when taken as a supplement, there

can be 20 – 40 times as much curcumin in the supplement capsule!

When the supplement form is taken by a patient who is already taking a prescription anticoagulant, abnormal

bleeding may result, as it did in this patient’s brain.

The moral of this story? When you or loved one is under treatment for medical conditions with prescription

medications, it is critical to consult with the physician before adding anything to the mix, even seemingly

harmless supplements!

Consider acetaminophen – the active ingredient in Tylenol. When taken as directed, acetaminophen is safe,

however, acetaminophen is found in many other over-the-counter medications such as the following, and it is possible to take too

much without realizing it!

Over-the-Counter Prescription

Actifed Fioricet

Alka-Seltzer Plus Liquid Gels Lortab

Benadryl Percocet

Dayquil/Nyquil Tylox

Dimetapp Ultracet

Excedrin Vicodin

Robitussin

When acetaminophen is taken in excess doses (even for just a few days) serious liver damage may result. Carefully reading

labels for the presence of acetaminophen, and consulting with the physician and pharmacist, can prevent inadvertent overdoses

of acetaminophen.

How about those stomach acid-reducing medications? Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium can now be purchased without a prescrip-

tion. This means that you can buy and take these medications as long as you like – but should you???

These three medications are known as “proton pump inhibitors” because they decrease the amount acid made by the stomach

and prevent “heartburn.” However, we now know that continual use of these medications can result in:

higher risk of hip and vertebral fractures

decline in kidney function or kidney failure

decreased absorption of vitamins and minerals!

These are just a few examples and all underscore the need to review ALL medications (prescription AND over-the-counter)

and supplements at ALL physician visits. We always advise caregivers to bring all bottles (not a list) so that physician can

fully evaluate what is being taken. This is true for ALL of us (not just for our loved ones!).

Drug-food interactions can be significant as well. 3 Grapefruit juice may interfere with the way the body processes blood pres-

sure and thyroid replacement drugs.

When taking the blood-thinner Coumadin, patients must avoid eating too many green leafy vegetables, as these will interfere

with Coumadin’s ability to prevent blood clots.

Finally, salt substitutes made with potassium instead of sodium can decrease the action of digoxin and result in heart failure.

Once again, our best advice: always take all medication and supplement bottles to the physician for complete review!

___________________________________

http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/wellness/preventing-illness/common-food-drug-interactions

Page 3 Care A Gram

24 Hour Crisis Line - 1-800-394-1771

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Family Nurse Consultants

Boca Raton & Highland Beach

4800 Linton Blvd, Building D-502B

Delray Beach, FL 33445

Phone: (561) 381-0231

Fax: (561) 381-1073

Delray & Boynton Beach

4800 Linton Blvd, Building D-502B

Delray Beach, FL 33445

Phone: (561) 381-0231

Fax: (561) 381-1073

Wellington, Royal Palm

Loxahatchee

1925 Birkdale Drive

Wellington, FL 33414

Phone: (561) 331-6576

Fax: (561) 508-6394

West Palm Beach

Ingrid Navas, RN

800 Northpoint Parkway

West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Phone: (561) 683-2700

Fax: (561) 683-7600

Lake Worth

Marcia Queres, RN

3680 Lake Worth Road

Lake Worth, FL 33461

Phone: (561) 432-0668

Fax: (561) 357-7143

St. Lucie County

Ryan Shiskin, RN

c/o St. Peter Lutheran Church

2900 South Jenkins Road

Fort Pierce, FL 34981

Phone: (772) 460-9166

Fax: (772) 466-9562

Palm Beach Gardens

Ingrid Navas, RN

800 Northpoint Parkway

West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Phone: (561) 683-2700

Fax: (561) 683-7600

West Lake Worth

Marcia Queres, RN

3680 Lake Worth Road

Lake Worth, FL 33461

Phone: (561) 432-0668

Fax: (561) 357-7143

Belle Glade, Canal Point

South Bay & Pahokee

Jelena Curtis, LPN

470 Barack Obama Boulevard

Pahokee, FL 33476

Phone: (561) 924-7283

Fax: (561) 924-6295

Martin County

Erika Turke, RN

Towers Building

1111 South Federal Highway, Suite 116

Stuart, FL 34994

Phone: (772) 223-6351

Fax: (772) 219-2074

Boca Raton 6/6 Discussion D-Day 6/6 Art Therapy with Pat 6/7 Pet Therapy JoJo & Romeo 6/14 Flag Parade 6/14 Pet Therapy JoJo & Romeo 6/15 Health Focus with Narine 6/19 Discussion June teeth 6/20Art Therapy with Pat 6/21Celebrate Summer& Pet Therapy 6/30 Monthly Birthday Party Delray Beach 2nd – National Cheese Day 6th – Garden Exercise Day 8th – Art Therapy with Pat 9th – Music Therapy with Tom / Bellmont Stakes 12th - 15th Anniversary of American Idol 14th- Flag Day 16th – Father’s Day Celebration 20th – First Day of Summer 22nd – Art Therapy with Pat 23rd – World’s Ugliest Dog Contest 27th- Health Focus with Nurse Pattie TBD – Music Therapy with Elisha Lake Worth 2nd Doughnut Tasting 6th History of D-Day 10th Iced Tea Day 14th National Flag Day 21th Planting Club results 28th End of the month Birthday party Friday Music Therapy w/ Tom March Music Therapy w/ Elisha once a month Every Friday –Health Focus W/ Brenda North Stuart 1st-Say Something Nice Day 2nd-National Doughnut day 6th-National Gardening Exercise Day 7th-National Chocolate ice cream day 12th-National Peanut Butter Cookie Day 14TH-Family History Day National flag day USA 15th-Nursing Assistant week begins 18th-Father’s Day 20TH-Summer Begins 30th- National Ice Cream Soda Day Wellington 1st- Pen Pal Day 8th- Best friend’s Day 13th-Gardening Day 16th-Celebrate Father’s Day 20th-Health Focus 21st-Beginning of Summer 23rd-National Pink Day Port St. Lucie 7th Chocolate Ice Cream Day 8th Donald Duck’s Birthday 9th Judy Garland 14th Flag Day 15th Nursing Assistants’ Day 20th Summer Begins 28th Paul Bunyan Day 30th Corvette’s Birthday 1953

Specialized Alzheimer’s Care & Service Center Special Events

Care A Gram Page 5

Leo & Anne Albert Center - Pahokee 9th Yellow Top Day 14th Everyone wear Red White or Blue top (Flag Day) 16th Father’s Day Celebration 21st balloon Trivia 30th Orange Top Day Palm Beach Gardens 2ND-DONUT DAY (ENJOY DONUTS) 5TH-BINGO FOR CHOCOLATE 9TH-MUSIC THERAPY WITH TOM 14TH-ACTIVITIES WITH TINO 16TH- FATHERS DAY CELEBRATION 23RD-ICECREAM SOCIAL 26TH-HEALTH FOCUS 30TH-MONTHLY B IRTHDAY PARTY EVERY FRIDAY-PIANO MUSIC AND SING ALONG WITH JOHN West Lake Worth Coffee and Donut Social Father’s Day Picnic Welcome Summer with a Lemonade Bikini Party Birthday Party Ice Cream Social Monthly Arts & Crafts Patriotic Placemats Making US Flags Making Ties Picnic Decorations Summer Decorations Make your Own Bikini Make a visor Ice Cream Placemats Table Decorations Red, Blue and White Decorations West Palm Beach 1st National nail polish day (paint the lady’s nails) 7th National Chocolate ice cream day 14h activities with Tino 14th National Flag day 16th Father’s Day floats 20th Vanilla milk shake and hand shake day 23rd National Pink day (wear pink) Music with Tom TBA Fort Pierce 1st Summer Decorations 2nd Summer’s Ice Cream Social 5th Baby Boomers Recognition Day 9th National Candy Month Social 12th Nona & Casper Per Therapy visit 14th National Flag Day 21st Monthly Parlor Treatment 22nd Monthly Birthday Celebration

Creative Corner

(Activities to do with loved ones at home)

Patriotic Windsock Craft

Supplies:

Blue Construction Paper

Red and White Crepe Paper

String

Sponge

White Paint

Directions:

1. Cut a sponge into a star shape (we traced around a cookie

cutter).

2. Dip the sponge in white paint and stamp stars on a piece of

blue construction paper. Allow to dry.

3. Cut strips of crepe paper and tape to the back of the blue

paper.

4. Form blue paper into a cylinder and tape or staple to seal.

5. Attach a string to the top (we made two hole punches and tied

the string through them

Submitted by: Therese Priester, CNA

West Palm Beach Specialized Day Center

800 Northpoint Parkway

Ste. 101-B

West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Phone: 561-683-2700

Fax: 561-683-7600

E-mail: kriedell@alzcare.org

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Care A Gram

As always, we encourage you to

contact us with any feedback that

you may have regarding our

service. You can direct your

comments to:

Kris Riedell

Chief Operating Officer