Do You Know the Name of Your Pharmacist?

Ann Nichols, PharmD Candidate Class of 2011

Consumer Health Information Corporation and

South Carolina College of Pharmacy

October is American Pharmacists Month.  Every year, one month is set aside to help consumers “Know Your Medicine, Know Your Pharmacist”.

The reason for this month is:

• 40%- 67% of patients do not talk with their pharmacists about their medications.
• Many people do not understand that pharmacists are trained to counsel patients regarding their medications.
• Many people are not taking their medications correctly.

How can your pharmacist help?

There are many ways a pharmacist can help you use over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications safely.  Here are two examples to show you how your pharmacist can help you learn to use your medications correctly.

I.  How do you measure your children’s medicine?

Did you know that 50% of parents make errors when measuring liquid medicines for their children?  Many prescription and over-the-counter medications for children are liquid products.  These products often contain different measuring devices in each package.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that there have been many accidental overdoses relating to the measuring devices provided with OTC drug products.   

Do not use household teaspoons.

Did you know that a household spoon should never be used to measure a dose of medicine?  This is because they vary in size.  One teaspoon might measure 1.5 ml and another might measure 9 ml.  (The standard teaspoonful set by the FDA is 5 ml).  If you use the larger teaspoon, your child might receive an overdose of the medicine.  When asked, parents frequently report using household spoons to measure and give liquid medications to their children.  Household tableware spoons should be avoided when dosing medications because they are not exact. 

How accurate are dosing cups?

Dosing cups are accurate if used correctly.  But, many parents make errors leading to overdoses.  Parents often confuse the markings or abbreviations for teaspoons and tablespoons on the dosing cup.  They may give their child 1 Tbsp (15 ml) instead of 1 Tsp (5 ml).  Some parents ignore the markings and assume the full cup is the dose.

Oral liquid syringes

Oral liquid syringes are recommended by most healthcare professionals.  Oral liquid syringes have clearly marked lines and are easy to use.  They are also available in different sizes.  The oral liquid syringe will allow you to squirt medication in the cheek of your infant or child’s mouth to reduce spillage.  Never squirt the medication in the back of their mouth.  This could cause your child to choke. 

Don’t guess, ask your pharmacist!

The next time you are in a pharmacy, be sure to ask your pharmacist about selecting the measuring device that works for you and your child. 

II. Do you feel your asthma medication is not working for you?

Inhalers are used by many asthma patients.  Patients are often prescribed more than one inhaler.  Studies show that up to 50% of asthma patients have trouble using their inhalers.  This means that half of asthma patients are not receiving the full benefit of their medicine in the inhaler.

If you are using your inhaler the wrong way, less medicine gets to your lungs.  This can make your asthma symptoms worse.  In the United States, asthma accounts for 2 million visits to the emergency room each year.  That is around 5,000 visits per day! 

Is your inhaler “wet” or “dry”?

Inhalers are designed so that you receive a full dose each time you use them.

“Wet inhalers” have a canister that contains the liquid medication plus a propellant.  The propellant forces the medicine into your lungs.  These require pushing down on the inhaler as you breathe in.  Always remember to shake the inhaler before each use.  Priming should also be done before the first use or if you have not used your inhaler in awhile.

“Dry powder inhalers” are often “disks”.  They contain no propellant.  Breathing in forces the medicine into your lungs.  They do not require priming or shaking.

Steps for Inhalation

Pharmacists can show you how to use your inhaler correctly.  The use of inhalers involves a series of steps.  These steps must be done each time to make sure the drug reaches your lungs.  The exact steps depend on the type of inhaler you have.

• Remove the mouthpiece cap. 
• Shake the inhaler if using a wet inhaler.
• Stand or sit up straight.  Breathe out as much as you can.
• Place the inhaler either in your mouth with your lips sealed or 1-2 inches away from your mouth.  Ask your doctor which method to use.
• Tilt your head back slightly. 
• For wet inhalers: Start breathing in slowly through your mouth.  Push down on the inhaler at the same time.  For dry powder inhalers: Breathe in quickly.
• Hold your breath for 10 seconds to make sure the medication travels deep into your lungs.

• Breathe out slowly.  If you need more than one “puff”, wait one minute between puffs.

Spacers can help.

Spacers are available if you find yourself unable to master the inhaler steps.  They can be used with your “wet” inhalers.  Spacers attach to the mouthpiece of the inhaler.  When you press down on the inhaler, the medication travels to the spacer.  The spacer holds the medicine in a “chamber” until you breathe in.  This allows you to inhale more slowly.  Ask your pharmacist if you feel this might be helpful for you.  

How much medicine is left in your inhaler?

Make sure you always have enough medicine in your inhaler.  You can do this by keeping track of how many puffs you have used.  Some inhalers have dose counters on them, making it easy to know how much medicine is remaining.  Pharmacists can tell you how many days’ supply is in each inhaler.  Or they can tell you how many puffs are in each inhaler.  This will help you to never run out of your medication. 

Pharmacists are here for you!

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