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A COMMUNITY SENIOR CENTER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Taking Your Medicines Safely
Webcast Agenda
Acknowledgments
Poisoning Among Older Adults
Taking Your Medicines Safely Program
Background
Demonstration
Safe Medication Disposal
Questions
Poisoning in the United States
Poisoning is the leading cause of injury death in the U.S.
In 2008, over 90% of all unintentional poisoning deaths were caused by drugs.
In 2010, 2.4 million poison exposures were reported to poison centers.
Adults and older adults –not children— are at greater risk of poisoning death.
Medication Use Among Older Adults
Older Adults
36% take 1-3 prescription medications
15% take 4-5 prescription medications
20% take 6 or more prescription medications regularly
Poisoning Among Older Adults
Adverse drug events cause nearly 100,000 emergency hospitalizations among older adults (65+) each year.
Blood thinners and diabetes medications accounted for 2/3 of these ER visits.
Most common medicine mistakes reported to poison centers include taking:
same medicine twice
wrong medicine
doses too close together
more than one product with same active ingredient(s)
Poisoning Among Older Adults (cont.)
Poison Center Awareness Among Older Adults
Compared to other age groups, adults 65+ were less likely to…
be aware of poison center services.
be aware that poison centers are free, confidential, open 24 hours a day, and accessible for all.
History of Taking Your Medicines Safely
Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Purpose
Prevent older adults from being poisoned due to accidental misuse and interactions with medicines
Pilot tested
2007 with 145 seniors
2008 with 127 seniors
History of Taking Your Medicines Safely (cont.)
Key outcomes
Increased medicine safety knowledge
Improved attitudes and behaviors
Program adapted for implementation by senior center personnel
Uses a train-the-trainer approach
Tested with senior center staff through focus groups and online assessments
Taking Your Medicines Safely: Program Components
Leader Guide
Medicine Safety Review Quiz
Promotional Flyer
Participant Guide
Medicine Safety
Tic Tac Toe Game (or alternative to assess participant understanding)
Poison Help (800 222-1222) and Poison Centers
http://www.poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/resources/safemedicine/participantguide.pdf
A COMMUNITY SENIOR CENTER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Why Are We Here?
To learn about older
adults and medicines —
Most take at least 1 prescription drug
Half take 3 or more medicines
To prevent potential poisoning from prescriptions and other remedies
To learn tips for managing your medicines
Take Medicines Safely
Medicine
Prescription
Over-the-Counter
Medicine can interact with:
Herbals
Vitamins
Supplements
Certain foods and juices
Reliable Sources of Information
Doctors
Nurses
Pharmacists
Local poison centers
Finding Good Sources on the Internet
Government, educational, or non-profit websites
Up-to-date information
Poisoning Exposures
Not just a problem in children
A poison is a substance that is harmful to you
Anything can be poisonous
Interaction Combined action of 2 or
more things
Could create an unwanted effect or poisoning
Interactions
Joe has been taking a blood thinner for the past year
He’s concerned about his family history of heart disease
He adds a daily aspirin
Story #1
Story #2 Ellen regularly rides
her bike
She drinks grapefruit juice every morning for Vitamin C
Doctor prescribes cholesterol-lowering medicine
Story #3 Sara has a very full,
active retirement
She takes an over-the-counter pain reliever for minor aches and pains
She develops a miserable cold, so she takes a multi-symptom cold medicine
6 Questions 1. What is the name of my
medicine?
2. Why am I taking this medicine?
3. What side effects could I have?
4. How much do I take and how often?
5. What should I do if I miss a dose or double the dose?
6. What should I avoid while taking this medicine?
Patient Medication Information
All prescriptions should come with this information
Some pharmacies provide large print and other languages
When in doubt, ask for an explanation!
Medicine Management Tools
Medicine tracking tools
Journal
Calendar
Medicine wallet card
Pill reminder box
Medicine Journal or Diary Keep track of…
Questions or problems related to your medicine
Blood pressure
Blood sugar
Take with you to:
Doctor’s office
Pharmacy
Any healthcare visit
Medicine Wallet Card http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/safemeds/walletform.pdf
My Medicine Record http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Forms/UCM095018.pdf
Pill Reminders Can They Help?
Although pill reminder boxes are convenient, it is best not to take medicine out of their original containers.
Additional Resources Medicines in My Home
www.fda.gov/medsinmyhome
Avoiding Drug Interactions www.fda.gov/downloads/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/
ucm096391.pdf
Safe Medicine Use & Poison Prevention Tips for Older Adults and Caregivers www.poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/uploads/files/resources/
SafeMedicineUseTips.pdf
Stop, Learn, and Go: Tips for Talking with your Pharmacist http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/UCM163351.pdf
Up and Away and Out of Sight www.UpandAway.org
Poison Help 1-800-222-1222
Call your poison center if you have taken too much of your medicine or the incorrect medicine
Call if you need information
Doctors and hospitals also call their local poison center
Poison Help 1-800-222-1222
One national number that connects you to your local poison center
Trained poison experts available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Services available in over 160 languages and for the hearing impaired
Calls are free and confidential
Poison Help or 911?
Call 1-800-222-1222 if person: Takes wrong medicine
Takes too much medicine
Inhales a poison (gas)
Spills poison on self
Gets poison in eye
Eats or drinks something that is not food
Call 911 if person: Is not breathing
Is having seizures
Won’t wake up
Has collapsed
Examples of When to Call Your Local Poison Center
A child swallows medicine that belongs to someone else
You take a double dose of your medicine by mistake
You take someone else’s medicine by mistake
Prevent Medicine Poisoning
Never sell or share your prescription medicines
Follow directions on medicine bottle
Turn on light
Wear glasses if needed
Keep pain pills and other medications locked, out of reach, and out of sight
Information the Poison Center Needs from You
Information from medicine bottle or container
Age and weight of person
Health history (for example, medicines the person may be taking)
Exact name and strength of medicine
How much was taken
When everything happened
Dispose of Your Medicines Safely
Remove unwanted or expired medications permanently from your home.
Prevent young children from getting to them.
Remove the possibility of a medicine mistake.
Reduce crime and access to prescription drugs that are commonly abused.
Follow specific disposal instructions on the drug label or patient information.
Do not flush down the toilet unless specifically instructed to do so.
Take advantage of local drug take-back programs.
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day September 29, 2012
www.deadiversion.usdoj/drug disposal/takeback/index.html
Dispose of Your Medicines Safely (cont.)
If no specific instructions are given:
Remove from original container
Mix with an undesirable substance (e.g. coffee grounds, kitty litter)
Put them in sealable bag, empty can, or other container
Protect privacy by removing or destroying the label
Dispose of Your Medicines Safely (cont.)
References American Association of Poison Control Centers. (n.d.). National Poison Data System 2010 Annual
Report. Retrieved from www.aapcc.org/dnn/Portals/0/2010%20NPDS%20Annual%20Report.pdf
Budnitz D, Lovegrove MC, Shehbab N, Richards CL. Emergency Hospitalizations for Adverse Drug Events in Older Americans. New England Journal of Medicine. November 24, 2011
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1103053#t=articleMethods
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Dec. 19, 2011). WISQARS DATA. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (March 19, 2012) Poisoning Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Poisoning/poisoning-factsheet.htm
Keenan, T. (Sept. 2010). A New Look at the Awareness and Use of Personal Medication Records: Five Years Later. American Association for Retired Persons. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-09-2010/med_records-10.html
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (April 23, 2012). Disposal of Unused Medicines: What you should know. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/EnsuringSafeUseofMedicine/SafeDisposalofMedicines/ucm186187.htm?utm_campaign=Google2&utm_source=fdaSearch&utm_medium=website&utm_term=disposal&utm_content=3
Warner M, Chen LH, Makuc DM, Anderson RN, Miniño AM. Drug poisoning deaths in the United States, 1980–2008. NCHS data brief, no 81. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2011. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db81.htm
Take Your Medicines Safely
Questions?
