17Jun 2020 by Brigitte B
Medications Can Cause Falls in Older Adults – Manage Yours to Avoid Taking a Tumble!

Medications Can Cause Falls in Older Adults – Manage Yours to Avoid Taking a Tumble!

Balance, Health content, Prevention
Did you know that a number of medications commonly given to older adults can make it more likely that you will fall? While some of these medications are necessary no matter what the side effects, it’s important to know about your risk of falling, and how to minimize that risk, before you decide to take the medication. Why would medicine cause me to fall? A medication can increase the risk for falls because of the medication’s desired effect or because of its side effects. For instance, your medicine might: Cause drowsiness or make you feel tired Change the way your heart beats Cause low blood sugar Lower your bone density Change the way your nerve endings perceive pressure and pain Lowering your bone density has the compounded risk of making…
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28Feb 2018 by Patrick Donovan
Start the Conversation About Chronic Disease Management

Start the Conversation About Chronic Disease Management

Health content, knowledge, Prevention
Start the Conversation About Your Medication Management “Freedom of choice” is a typical value in the US. So when my health care provider prescribes me a chronic disease medication for, say, high blood pressure, do I yield the rest of my life to a medication? No! This article is about the difficult conversation, asking your health care provider “How can I get off this medication?” The Gameplan The majority of you ingest iron naturally through foods you eat – spinach, bread, lentils, dark chocolate, etc. As you grow older your body may become less adept at absorbing iron – (1) an iron deficiency develops. So in a routine check-up your health care provider (2) prescribes a supplemental iron medication. In addition to the iron supplement, for the following months you…
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