Klein's Pharmacy: Blog

Blood pressure is typically recorded as two numbers, written as a ratio.  The top number is the “systolic” reading.  It measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats or is contracting.  This number is the higher of the two numbers.  The bottom number is the “diastolic” reading.  It measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats when the muscle is resting. A blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high.  Adopting healthy lifestyle habits is an effective first step in both preventing and controlling high blood pressure. If lifestyle changes alone are not effective in keeping your pressure controlled, it may be necessary to add blood pressure medications

Types of Blood Pressure Medications 

Here’s a rundown on the main types of drugs and how they work. Often, two or more drugs work better than one.

Follow your health care provider’s recommendations to modify, treat,   or control possible causes of high blood pressure.  As always, if you have any questions about   your medications your Klein’s Pharmacist is ready to help!

Tip of the Month

Foot Care and Diabetes

For most people small foot injuries like calluses or blisters are just minor aggravations.  Your feet may feel sore but often times these minor problems will heal properly but for people with diabetes, these small wounds can grow into devastating problems.  “The average person will unconsciously change the way they walk to minimize that callus forming, because for many people it hurts,” explains Marc House, DPM in Indianapolis. “With diabetes, you don’t feel it, so you continue to walk on the area.”  Many people with diabetes develop nerve damage in the feet so their sensation is diminished.  Diabetes can also narrow arteries in the legs, which in turn causes poor blood flow to the feet.  This decrease in blood flow decreases the ability for wounds to heal properly and infections are readily found.  If you can’t feel your feet, you may not even know a problem is developing!

Tips for People with Diabetes

1.  Inspect your feet daily
2.  Never walk barefoot
3.  Keep your feet warm
4.  Get a check-up of your feet at every health care provider visit
5.  Wear the right shoes and socks
6.  Control your blood sugar
7.  Don’t smoke

If you have diabetes, it’s very important to take care of your feet and the rest of your body.  Remember your Klein’s Pharmacist is always willing to answer any questions you may have.

Klein’s Pharmacy Tip of the Month

Help When You Decide to Quit!

When you smoke a cigarette, nicotine enters your body through your lungs and travels to your brain. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) works by substituting the source of nicotine to “replace” the nicotine you inhale when you smoke. For people who are quitting smoking, NRTs can help by delivering a safer alternative source of nicotine than cigarettes. They also can reduce or eliminate the symptoms of withdrawal, making it easier for some people to quit. NRTs have been extensively tested and used by millions of people, and considered safe and effective ways of quitting smoking.

Unlike cigarettes, which contain thousands of harmful chemicals, nicotine medications contain small doses of nicotine alone to combat urges to smoke. The amount of nicotine is decreased gradually over time until nicotine replacement is no longer needed. Because the dose of nicotine is much lower than what a person would receive by smoking a cigarette, NRTs are considered an effective way to help someone who smokes quit for good.

When choosing a nicotine replacement therapy, think about which method best fits your lifestyle and pattern of smoking. The points below highlight the main differences between NRTs.

• Nicotine gums, lozenges, and inhalers allow you to control your dosage of nicotine to help keep cravings under control.
• Nicotine nasal spray works quickly to combat cravings when you need it.
• Nicotine inhalers allow you to mimic the use of cigarettes by puffing and holding the inhaler.
• Nicotine patches are convenient and only have to be applied once a day.
• Both inhalers and nasal sprays require a doctor’s prescription.
• Some people may not be able to use patches, inhalers, or nasal sprays due to allergies or other conditions.

Not all nicotine replacement therapies are right for everyone. Be sure to discuss the option of nicotine replacement therapy with your health care prescriber or Pharmacist. REF: www.determinedtoquit.com

For years, doctors thought the connection between mental health and heart health was strictly behavioral – such as the person who is feeling down seeking relief from smoking, drinking or eating fatty foods. That thinking has started to change. The biological and chemical factors that trigger mental health issues also could influence heart disease. “The head-heart connection should be on everyone’s radar,” said Barry Jacobs, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist.  “It’s not just being unhappy.  It’s having biochemical changes that predispose people to have other health problems, including heart problems.”

Many forms of mental health issues can affect heart disease.  There’s the temporary state of depression or a more severe, clinical case.  The varying levels of anxiety and stress are just a few of the most well-known problems.

Research does not firmly link stress and heart disease, but there’s a growing belief that is an additional risk factor, and maybe even more dangerous than some others.

Prevention starts with everyone.  Protect yourself and your loved ones from heart disease and stroke by understanding the risks and taking these steps:

• Get up and get active by being physically active for at least 30 minutes on most days
• Know your ABCS:

A-     Ask your doctor if you should take an Aspirin every day

B-      Find out if you have high Blood pressure

C-      Find out your Cholesterol level

S-   If you Smoke, get help to quit

• Make your calories count by eating a heart-healthy diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables
• Take control of your heart by following your doctor’s prescription instructions.

Take care of the most important organ in your body!

http://www.heart.org/heartorg/conditions/more/myheartand strokenews/mental-health-and-heart-health_UCM_438853_article.jsp

Revelry and resolutions have been essential to ringing in the New Year since 2000 B.C. when Babylonians held semi-annual festivals around the spring and autumn equinoxes. Back then, people marked the beginning of a New Year by paying off debts and returning borrowed goods. The practice carried over into Roman times with worshippers offering resolutions of good conduct to a double-faced deity named Janus, the god of beginnings and endings. When the Roman calendar was reformed, the first month of the year was renamed January in honor of Janus, establishing January 1 as the day of new beginnings.

What resolution will you pick for your New Year? Our hope is for you to choose something that will have a positive impact on yourself and others. We all can remember to smile one extra time a day, do something to be proud of once a day or listen better every day. These are small changes that can have dramatic differences for yourself and for those around you. This year let’s all give it a try!

Klein’s Pharmacy Staff wishes everyone a Happy, Safe and Healthy New Year!

Earwax. Great table topic, right? Maybe not, but earwax is a natural, normal part of your body. It helps clean and lubricate your ears. Without it, your ears would become dry and itchy and pretty uncomfortable.

Earwax forms in glands located in the skin of the outer part of your ears. It traps dust and dirt, and gradually transports these “invaders,” along with skin cells, to the ear opening. There, it flakes and falls out or gets washed out by you. When all goes well, you don’t even need to clean your ear canals. Just wash your outer ears with soap and water when taking a shower or bath.1,2

But if earwax builds up, it’s time to take action. You may have symptoms such as a feeling of fullness, ringing, discharge, itching, odor, or partial hearing loss.1 Here’s another clue: Your family members have started teasing, “Didn’t you hear me? Get the wax outta your ears!”

Start by cleaning the external ear with a cloth, but don’t insert anything, such as a cotton-tipped applicator, bobby pin, piece of paper or even your finger into your ear canal. This does just the opposite of what you intend: It pushes wax deeper into your ear canal and can cause infection. You can also damage the ear canal or eardrum.2 Whatever you do, don’t try a product called ear candles for extracting earwax. These involve inserting a cone-type device into the ear canal and setting the other end on fire! They can cause serious injury. 1,2

What if you still have symptoms? In most cases, home treatments to soften wax work just fine. I can direct you to some possible options in our store.

At home, lie on your side and deposit a few drops of one of these products in your ear. If this alone doesn’t work, you can try ear syringing. This involves suctioning the wax out of year ears. Again, I can help you find these ear syringes here in our store. They work best if you put water, saline, or wax dissolving drops in the ear canal about 15 to 30 minutes beforehand.1

Before trying any of these products, it’s best to discuss it with your doctor.2 If you have diabetes, a weakened immune system, perforated eardrum, or tube in your eardrum, a doctor should manually remove any built-up earwax, using special devices such as graspers and suction. A special ear, nose, and throat doctor called an otolaryngologist may be the best person for the job, especially if you have a narrow ear canal. 1 Occasionally, you may also need antibiotic eardrops for an infection.2

New nickname, Shrek? No worries. Some people make more earwax than others.2 If needed, you can see your doctor for preventive cleaning as often as every 6 to 12 months. 1

Nothing herein constitutes medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, or is a substitute for professional advice. You should always seek the advice of your physician or other medical professional if you have questions or concerns about a medical condition.

Sources:

1. American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery: “Earwax.” Available at: http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/earwax.cfm. Accessed April 18, 2012.

2. Nemours Foundation: “Dealing With Earwax.” Available at: http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/eyes/earwax.html?tracking=P_RelatedArticle. Accessed April 18, 2012.

Influenza, often referred to as the “flu”, is a contagious viral infection that circulates each year from October to May.  Symptoms usually last 7 to 10 days and can resemble the common cold. In addition to the sore throat, runny nose, and nasal congestion seen with a cold, a person suffering with the flu can have a fever, body aches, headache, fatigue and a cough.  People with the flu are more likely to have more symptoms and feel more ill than those with a cold.

The goal of treatment is to ease symptoms and speed recovery.  General recommendations include bed rest and lots of fluids. Acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can relieve fever, headache and body aches.  Decongestants and expectorants are used for cough and congestion.  Many nonprescription cold and flu symptom relievers contain multiple drugs, so it is important to talk to your pharmacist to avoid taking more than the recommended dose of the same medication in two or more products.  There are also some antiviral medications approved by prescription for the prevention or treatment of the flu that reduce the severity of symptoms, shorten the illness period, and help prevent complications.  These products are not to be used as a substitute for the vaccine as they may not protect against all the flu viruses.

Complications that may develop from the flu include bronchitis, pneumonia, and sinus or ear infections.  These complications are often bacterial and should be treated with an antibiotic.  If symptoms of the flu begin to improve and then worsen, a bacterial infection may be the cause and the patient should seek medical care for evaluation. (Jobson Medical Information LLC, 2012)

The CDC released data on October 5^th 2012 stating that 17,676 vials of Tainted methylprednisolone  acetate steroid injections were shipped to 75 clinics in 23 states from the New England Compounding Center(NECC).     If you or a loved one may have potentially received one of these injections please go to the following website from the CDC for information on what you should do.

http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/patients/what-should-patients-do.html

What is compounding ??

Pharmacy compounding is the art and science of preparing personalized medications for patients. Compounded medications are “made from scratch” – individual ingredients are mixed together in the exact strength and dosage form required by the patient. This method allows the compounding pharmacist to work with the patient and the prescriber to customize a medication to meet the patient’s specific needs.

Why is compounding needed??

Millions of patients have unique health needs that off-the-shelf, manufactured medications cannot meet. For these patients, personalized medication solutions – prescribed by licensed practitioners and prepared by trained, licensed pharmacists – are the only way to better health.

Working with a physician, a compounding pharmacist can meet individual needs of children, adults and animals. Whether it’s an allergy to a dye or ingredient, a need for a different strength, or a preference for a different dosage form, compounding pharmacists provide patients with solutions to their medication needs.

Klein’s Pharmacy

In the wake of this tragedy many people are asking if there compounding pharmacy is safe or if they should be concerned.   Klein’s pharmacy did not associate with or buy any materials from NECC.  Also Klein’s Pharmacy is a proud member of PCCA(Professional Compounding Centers of America) and receives many of our ingredients from this company as well as pharmacy compounding testing and support.  PCCA released a statement on October 5^th stating that none of their products were used in this outbreak nor was there lab used for testing of any of these preparations.

Klein’s Pharmacy does not prepare sterile compounds such as injections and eye drops due to the increased safety risks with these compounds as well as the increased cost in maintaining adequate facilities for sterile compound.  Also Klein’s will only make a compound for you based on a prescription from a doctor for an individual compound.   We do not mass produce compounds for sale to doctors or clinics.

Hopefully this answers some if not all of your questions.  If not or you have any other concerns feel free to contact me, Dr. Bradley John Sanderson by email at BSanderson@kleinsrx.com

Vitamins are essentials – the substances your body needs to function normally. You can usually get the vitamins you need from a healthy, balanced diet. ¹ Add a “rainbow of color” to your diet and you increase your chances of getting what you need.

But some people lack certain vitamins, so they need supplements.¹ Ask your doctor whether or not you do. And, remember: too much of a good thing can be bad for you. So be careful not to overdo.

Here are the basics about vitamins:

Vitamin A helps with vision, bone growth, and reproduction. It also plays a role in cell division and promoting healthy surface linings in eyes and other places in your body. Sources of vitamin A include beef and chicken liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, and cantaloupe.^2,3

B vitamins such as B6 and B12 are versatile, helping with many of the body’s functions. This includes forming red blood cells and helping your body get or make energy from food (a process called metabolism). You mostly find B vitamins in proteins such as tuna, salmon, poultry, beef liver, and dairy products. Some foods, such as breakfast cereals and breads, are also fortified with B vitamins.⁴

Vitamin C helps the body form collagen (a fibrous protein) in blood vessels, bones, cartilage, and muscle.  Fruits high in vitamin C include guava, oranges, kiwi, and strawberries. Vegetables high in vitamin C include raw red and green sweet peppers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.³

Vitamin D works with calcium to maintain bone strength and quality. Vitamin D is also involved in cell growth, as well as nerve, muscle, and immune functioning. And, it can reduce inflammation in the body. Few foods contain vitamin D. However, it is found in fatty fish such as salmon and tuna, and in fish liver oils. Orange juice, milk, and yogurt may be fortified with vitamin D. You may also get some vitamin D from sunlight.⁵

Vitamin E is an antioxidant. It helps protect cells from damage. Vitamin E also is involved with immune function and metabolism. Sources of vitamin E include wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, and sunflower or safflower oil.⁶

Vitamin K helps make proteins for healthy bones and tissues and for blood clotting. Foods high in vitamin K include dark berries and green, leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, turnip greens, and collards.⁷

Sometimes doctors prescribe vitamins. But sometimes vitamins may interact with certain medications.^8,9 If you have questions about any of this, I’d be glad to talk it over with you. I can also answer your questions about Health Mart brand vitamins. Or, you can go to www.healthmart.com to learn more about the Health Mart Vitamin Finder. This is a new internet-based, personalized tool to help you make smart decisions about vitamins.

Nothing herein constitutes medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, or is a substitute for professional advice.  You should always seek the advice of your physician or other medical professional if you have questions or concerns about a medical condition.

Sources

1. MedlinePlus: “Vitamins.” Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamins.html. Accessed March 14, 2012.
2. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: “Vitamin A and Carotenoids.” Available at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina/. Accessed March 14, 2012.
3. American Academy of Family Physicians: “Vitamins and Minerals: How to Get What You Need.” Available at: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/food-nutrition/nutrients/vitamins-and-minerals-how-to-get-what-you-need.printerview.all.html. Accessed March 14, 2012.
4. MedlinePlus: “Vitamins.” Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bvitamins.html. Accessed March 14, 2012.
5. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: ” Vitamin D.” Available at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/. Accessed March 14, 2012.
6. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: “Vitamin E.” Available at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamine/. Accessed March 14, 2012.
7. MedlinePlus: “Vitamin K.” Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamink.html. Accessed March 14, 2012.
8. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: “Vitamin B12.” Available at: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12/. Accessed March 14, 2012.
9. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: “Vitamin B6.” Available at:  http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb6/. Accessed March 14, 2012.