STRATEGIES TO COMBAT THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF POLYPHARMACY AND THE ASSOCIATED NUTRITIONAL RISK
Research suggested while polypharmacy, isn’t the only cause of nutritional risk in the elderly, it was shown to have a positive correlation with increased prevalence of nutritional risk. It therefore stood to reason if one reduces negative polypharmacy use, where medications dispensed have little to no added therapeutic value but rather precipitate additional symptoms, we can decrease the numbers of geriatric patients at nutritional risk.
Alpert and Gatlin, (2015) detailed several strategies that have been implemented throughout the years. They believed healthcare professionals, home clinicians, the patients and their families all have a collective …show more content…
According to Jett (2012) older adults purchase 40% of their medication over the counter (OTC) and are three times likely to be taking one or more. It was also important that the professional reviews the patients’ use of these medications. The author believed the medication review could help reduce duplicate medications, medications that are contraindicated for older adults and provide ways to ensure patients understand why they are taking the medications as well as how to take them correctly. During the review, he also emphasized the need to inquire if patients are using multiple pharmacies to fill their prescriptions. The author suggested older patients use one pharmacy to help reduce the risk of polypharmacy occurring.
Home healthcare clinicians should also assess adherence to medications during routine review, to ensure medication regimen isn’t too complex, especially in patients with dementia or who are depressed. He proposed the general rule of minimizing the number of prescribed medications with simple dosing schedules, with the assurance that the right drugs are given in the right circumstance to treat the right …show more content…
Propranolol serum levels may be increased if taken with protein rich foods. Diets rich in carbohydrates and low in protein have also be shown to have been beneficial as low carbohydrate/high protein diets tend to increase propranolol’s oral clearance. Smoking also increases its metabolism by decreasing it’s plasma levels. Celiprolol’s, a beta-blocker, intestinal absorption is inhibited when it is taken with orange juice. This is due to a component of the orange juice known as Hesperidin. The absorption of ACE’s inhibitors is increased when taken on an empty stomach.
Warfarin
Warfarin is one of the prototypic drugs for treating thromboembolic events. Patients taking warfarin are at particular risk of interactions with dietary supplements, yet approximately 30% use herbal or natural product supplements on a regular basis. A high protein diet interacts with warfarin. It has been postulated that there is a potential for increased dietary protein intake to raise serum albumin levels and/or cytochrome P450 activity. This is one of the mechanisms for the resulting decrease in international normalized ratio (INR).
Some vegetables are an extremely rich source of vitamin K. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, parsley and spinach are all example of these. Consuming these vegetables in copious quantities or sudden changes in the amounts eaten, may cause increase dangers
Research suggested while polypharmacy, isn’t the only cause of nutritional risk in the elderly, it was shown to have a positive correlation with increased prevalence of nutritional risk. It therefore stood to reason if one reduces negative polypharmacy use, where medications dispensed have little to no added therapeutic value but rather precipitate additional symptoms, we can decrease the numbers of geriatric patients at nutritional risk.
Alpert and Gatlin, (2015) detailed several strategies that have been implemented throughout the years. They believed healthcare professionals, home clinicians, the patients and their families all have a collective …show more content…
According to Jett (2012) older adults purchase 40% of their medication over the counter (OTC) and are three times likely to be taking one or more. It was also important that the professional reviews the patients’ use of these medications. The author believed the medication review could help reduce duplicate medications, medications that are contraindicated for older adults and provide ways to ensure patients understand why they are taking the medications as well as how to take them correctly. During the review, he also emphasized the need to inquire if patients are using multiple pharmacies to fill their prescriptions. The author suggested older patients use one pharmacy to help reduce the risk of polypharmacy occurring.
Home healthcare clinicians should also assess adherence to medications during routine review, to ensure medication regimen isn’t too complex, especially in patients with dementia or who are depressed. He proposed the general rule of minimizing the number of prescribed medications with simple dosing schedules, with the assurance that the right drugs are given in the right circumstance to treat the right …show more content…
Propranolol serum levels may be increased if taken with protein rich foods. Diets rich in carbohydrates and low in protein have also be shown to have been beneficial as low carbohydrate/high protein diets tend to increase propranolol’s oral clearance. Smoking also increases its metabolism by decreasing it’s plasma levels. Celiprolol’s, a beta-blocker, intestinal absorption is inhibited when it is taken with orange juice. This is due to a component of the orange juice known as Hesperidin. The absorption of ACE’s inhibitors is increased when taken on an empty stomach.
Warfarin
Warfarin is one of the prototypic drugs for treating thromboembolic events. Patients taking warfarin are at particular risk of interactions with dietary supplements, yet approximately 30% use herbal or natural product supplements on a regular basis. A high protein diet interacts with warfarin. It has been postulated that there is a potential for increased dietary protein intake to raise serum albumin levels and/or cytochrome P450 activity. This is one of the mechanisms for the resulting decrease in international normalized ratio (INR).
Some vegetables are an extremely rich source of vitamin K. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, parsley and spinach are all example of these. Consuming these vegetables in copious quantities or sudden changes in the amounts eaten, may cause increase dangers