Sticking
to your medication routine – known as medication adherence – means taking your
medications as prescribed. The right dose, at the right time, in the right way
and frequency.
Why is
this important? Simply put, not taking your medicine as prescribed by a doctor
or instructed by a pharmacist could lead to your health getting worse,
hospitalization and possibly death.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that non-adherence causes 30 to 50 percent of
chronic disease treatment failures and more than 125,000 deaths per year in the
United States.
Taking
your medicine as prescribed is important for controlling chronic conditions,
treating temporary illnesses and your overall long-term health and well-being.
However,
even knowing this:
- Twenty
to 30 percent of new prescriptions are never filled at the pharmacy.
- For
patients prescribed medications for chronic diseases, after six months,
the majority take less medication than prescribed or quit using their
medication altogether.
As you
can see, this is truly a problem. Here are eight tips that could help you stay
medication adherent and improve your health and wellness:
- Take
your medication at the same time every day.
- Try
taking your medications in conjunction with a daily routine like brushing
your teeth or getting ready for bed.
- Keep
a “medicine calendar” with your pill bottles and note each time you take a
dose.
- Use a
pill container. Some types have sections for multiple doses at different
times, such as morning, lunch, evening and night.
- When
using a pill container, refill it at the same time each week. For example,
every Sunday morning after breakfast.
- When
travelling, be certain to bring enough of your medication, plus a few days
extra, in case your return is delayed.
If you
have questions about your medication, don’t be shy — ask your health-care
provider or pharmacist…it could truly save your life!
Dr.
Cynthia Miller is the Corporate Medical Director for WellCare Health
Plans, Inc.
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