Make Friends With Your Meds
Prescription medications are more powerful and beneficial than ever. One small tablet can help someone avoid a deadly stroke or heart attack by controlling blood pressure; another can keep a person with diabetes from having to administer daily insulin shots or use inhaled insulin; still others can reduce anxiety -- or stem suicidal thoughts.
Yet, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), the number one problem in treating illness today is people's failure to take prescription medications correctly, regardless of age. The AHA says 12 percent of Americans don't take their prescriptions. Another 12 percent don't even fill them. And nearly 75 percent of older adults prescribed cholesterol-lowering statin drugs weren't taking them five years later.
"Even people who have had organ transplants don't have 100 percent adherence rates, which I find amazing," says Douglas Hoey, R.Ph., chief operating officer of the National Community Pharmacists Association in Alexandria, Va.
What makes some people sticklers for following through with their medications, and others haphazard at best?
"It really comes down to how motivated the patient is," says Mr. Hoey. "Ultimately, the decision about whether to take the medication resides with the patient. No matter how good the team of doctor and pharmacist, it's up to the patient to recognize the value of medication."
Profile of success
According to Mr. Hoey, patients who take these seven actions are most likely to succeed with their medication regimens:
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They find out why they need the medication and what it can do for them. "For the most part, people who understand why they're doing something are much more likely to follow through with it," says Mr. Hoey. With a migraine headache, you don't need a detailed explanation of why you should take a prescription painkiller. But what if your doctor says you may need to take medication to control high blood pressure for the rest of your life? You may not feel any different when taking the pills, so it's critical you learn why you need them and how they can protect your quality of life. Negative reinforcement motivates some people; for example, remind yourself you could suffer a debilitating stroke 10 years from now if you don't take your cholesterol-lowering medication today. For others, positive reinforcement works best. "Some people who want to enhance or maintain their quality of life will want to take any preventive measure available, such as improving their diets, exercising regularly and taking the appropriate medication," says Mr. Hoey. "I just can't emphasize it enough: So many people are working toward retirement, and they want to be healthy in those years. They're making their investments 10, 20 or 30 years beforehand by controlling osteoporosis, high blood pressure or high cholesterol."
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They get involved in their health care. When their health care providers write prescriptions, proactive patients don't accept or reject them at face value. They ask questions of the physicians and their pharmacists, go home and read up about their conditions and the treatments, then ask any further questions that come to mind. Any question is fair game -- be it about side effects, potential addiction or lifestyle disruption, or how or why the medication should be taken. "Pharmacists really appreciate it when patients ask questions about their medications," says Mr. Hoey. "If the pharmacist doesn't answer your questions, you should go to another pharmacy.'" Another way to be proactive: A month or two after starting on medication for hypertension, for example, visit your local pharmacy to check your blood pressure.
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They learn the appropriate way to take the medication. If medication must be taken on an empty stomach, for example, or if it should be taken three times a day for seven days, it can be very important to adhere to those instructions for both safety and health reasons. "Legitimate drugs are powerful tools, and they save the health system billions of dollars when they're used appropriately," says Mr. Hoey. "But when used inappropriately, they can cost the system billions and reduce patients' quality of life."
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They find ways to fit the medications into their daily routines. "Tie it into something you do every day, such as brushing your teeth or watching Wheel of Fortune," says Mr. Hoey. "Try to make routine activities a reminder to take your medication."
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They deem medications as something positive they're doing for themselves, not as something they're being forced to do. Many people develop a fatalistic attitude about their health, but research has shown that medication reduces risk factors and symptoms when taken according to a doctor's instructions.
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They don't cut short their medications without first consulting their health care providers. Suddenly stopping taking your medication can have serious consequences. For example, suddenly going off some blood-pressure medications can cause sharp elevations in blood pressure, which in rare cases could lead to a stroke or heart attack.
People give all sorts of misguided reasons for prematurely going off a medication regimen. Some stop because they begin feeling stronger and healthier -- but feeling better could be the very reason to stay on a drug, not to discontinue it. Or perhaps they believe a drug is having no effect -- when, in actuality, they must take it for weeks or months to relieve symptoms. Still others stop because of overly complex treatment regimens or worrisome or unpleasant side effects, or because they cannot afford the medication.
Always check with your doctor about any of these concerns. Very often the doctor can switch you to a different medication that doesn't cause the same side effects or a less expensive drug that will work. And with some drugs, side effects normally subside a few weeks after starting on them.
"Understanding your medications, including how powerful they are, is essential," Mr. Hoey says. "Doing so will help you understand they need to be taken properly or you take the risk of negative consequences."