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Berwick Area Heart Support Group
March 2004 Newsletter
Next meeting Wednesday 3rd March at the Day Hospital, Berwick Infirmary from 7.00 pm until 9.00pm guest speaker Grahame Gilespie, Clinical Psychologist at North Tyne Side Hospital.
Grahame has experience in advising cardiac rehab groups on stress management and all the emotions heart patients can go through
You are all welcome to the BUSINESS MEETING which starts half an hour earlier at 6.30pm.
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At our meeting on Wed 3rd. Feb. Joy Ritchie of the Castlegate Pharmacy, came and spoke to us mainly about what services we may expect from our local pharmacies, both currently, and what to expect in the near and not so distant future.
But before we start, I have to admit; I’m after the sympathy vote here, because it’s not easy taking notes, and then give a credible story of events, when the evening takes on a question and answer theme. Admittedly some of the questions were of a general nature, and affected many of us, whilst others related solely to the person asking the question. I have tried to get the balance right.
Joy was with us two years ago, and gave a very comprehensive talk. It must have been good, because I mostly drink green tea now and rarely coffee, on the strength of it. (The talk not the coffee).
Joy did tell us that there are a few major trials currently ongoing in relation to some of the medicines that some of us may be taking. One such trial is where, in the past, either Aspirin 75 mg. or a drug from the Plavix family were prescribed to help prevent blood clots, or at least stop the red blood cells from sticking together, and whilst each is equally efficient at doing this particular task, you could now find that both these drugs are prescribed together. Trials suggest that a 20% improvement in not having another heart incident is likely. As with all good things there is a slight down side in that there is a small chance of bleeding in the stomach or eyes, but regular checks should eliminate this.
On statins, these are the drugs that reduce cholesterol and are prescribed under different trade names, usually ending in statin. Joy explained that some of us might notice that the dosage we had been taking has been increased, maybe up to as much as 80 mg. This is not because the drug is becoming less effective, but trials suggest that with the larger dosage, not only is the cholesterol lowered, but also the plaque in our arteries becomes more stable. Again there is a slight down side. If the dosage is increase too quickly there can be an increase in the side effects, especially tiredness and/or pain in the long muscles, mainly in the legs. So be aware, and if you experience any change, get it checked, don’t wait for a couple of weeks hoping it will go away, see your doctor, or have a word with you pharmacist.
A word of advice. Watch out for interactions between drugs. Strong antibiotics can react with statins and some other heart related drugs increasing the chance unwanted side effects. Keep a list of drugs you are currently taking with you at all times and even when buying non prescribed drugs across the counter (cold and flu remedies) check that these will be compatible with your prescribed drugs, again if you experience any unusual side effects, talk to the pharmacist or your doctor. Maybe stop taking the non-prescribed drug, but not the prescribed drug without advice.
I’ll include this bit of information here, as it is relevant. It doesn’t affect me because I don’t like grapefruit, but grapefruit, both the fruit and the juice can reduce the effectiveness of statins, as it hinders an enzyme in the liver from doing its job of breaking down the statin This only applies to grapefruit, not oranges, lemons or limes etc.
People who in the past were prescribed Ramipril will find they are receiving an unbranded ramipril rather than Tritace.This is because the patent ran out on the brand name and so now other manufacturers can produce the drug under it’s generic name.Its usually cheaper because they have not had the development costs, but we have been assured that it does the same job, just as effectively. The same thing happened last year with Simvastatin, it had the brand name Zocor.
Some recent changes and some for the future
Some of these have already happened, some are close to happening and some are a little way off. It all means that the pharmacist is going to be busier, and the Doctors should have a little more time to sort our ills.
Extra duties already happening: -
Pregnancy testing
Disposal of out of date / unused drugs
Advise to Nursing Homes
Oxygen supplies
Diabetic blood testing
Blood pressure monitoring and supplies
Equipment supplies
Advice on both prescribed and over thecounter drugs, as possible side effects, which is why I’ve mentioned this a few times already. Joy did say that she would be willing to give advice on all manner of things. You don’t have to make an appointment, just call in and see her, and quite often you will receive an answer to your problem long before you get an appointment with your doctor.
Smoking Cessation, Locally the Practice Nurses currently undertake this service, but pharmacists will be involved, and do give the advice when people call in.
Dietary Advice / Weight Management
Blood Monitoring Service
For the near future.
Repeat prescription programme. Where selected patients, already stabilised on their medication, are able to get their medicines repeated without first having to put in a request to their doctor.Whilst this repeat prescription programme was being spoken about, also mentioned was the fact that in the future some pharmacists may also be able to prescribe drugs. I know that I’m easily confused, but I thought that these were part and parcel of the same thing. Just in case anyone else was confused, I have seen Joy since, and had it explained a bit better. The repeat prescription programme is self explanatory, and could be operational within a year.
Pharmacists issuing prescriptions is a lot more involved. As an extension of their services, some pharmacists may decide to take extra training to qualify them for this role, but Joy is not aware of anyone in the North Northumberland area that is currently doing the necessary training. It would also need the local doctors to be agreeable to the scheme as one would have to act as a mentor. I hope that clears any confusion. Other extra duties which some pharmacists will have contracts for, in addition to the current ones will be.
Domiciliary visits to the elderly / frail
Medication Reviews
Possible involvement in Diabetic and Asthma Clinics
The above lists some of the extra duties a pharmacist is now contracted to do, or will be contracted to do in the future. No doubt there is someone sitting in an office somewhere thinking up a few more.
As I said earlier many of the questions related to the person asking, but overall it was a very informative evening, I hope everyone got something out of it.
Thanks Joy
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Wally’s Yarn
I don’t have any humorous stories about pharmacists, but when I was writing about some the duties the word supplies came up several times, which did remind me of a story.
An aeroplane was forced to make a crash landing in the sea whilst crossing the Pacific Ocean. In the aftermath 3 men, clung to some of the floating wreckage and were eventually washed ashore, barely conscious on a deserted island. When they had recovered some strength, and realised their situation, they jointly agreed on tasks for the survival of the group.
An American elected to build a shelter, the Englishman elected to build some furniture, and the Chinaman elected to get supplies. Each set about their tasks, and the Chinaman took a little food and water and set off into the jungle After a week or so the American and Englishman had finished. Between them they had built a wooden chalet with three bedrooms, each with a bed, and on the veranda was a table and three chairs. During this time they had not seen or heard anything from the Chinaman, and decided that they would go and look for him. At first light the next day they set off. By mid morning, they had travelled a fair distance into the interior. It was hot and steamy and sapped their strength, so when they came to a small clearing they stopped for a rest. As they set off again, there was a great rustling in the bushes nearby. The noise grew louder, leaves rustled, branches creaked, footsteps were loud and heavy, twigs broke underfoot, and the two men became frightened. As it approached them at speed they both broke out into a cold, cold sweat. Fearing that some large predatory beast that might have already attacked the Chinaman and was about to attack them, both men tried to run, but they couldn’t, they were frozen to the spot.They feared the worse, and as the ‘beast’ broke into the clearing, both men were still trying to find the strength to run away from the imminent attack, they then saw that it was the Chinaman, who at the top of his voice shouted, “BOO” After they realised they had nothing to fear, and had got their breath back, and had called the Chinaman all the unprintable names they could think of, the Chinaman asked, ‘Was that a good supplies’?
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Wally SELBY
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Food News
Here is a small article I found in the Sunday Post on the 15th Jan 2004 which I thought might interest us.
Bread Manufacturers have joined in the trend for producing “healthy foods,” with two firms coming up with breads that they claim to help lower cholesterol levels.
Hovis has launched “Best of Health,” a wholemeal loaf with reduced salt and an added cholesterol-reducing soluble fibre while “Cholessterol” from Allied Bakeries is a white loaf with added soya protein.
Wally SELBY
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Oat Bran
Reading the article from the Sunday Post made me look at a piece I’m doing for the website, (which was brought about by Martin Manasse and his use of oat bran,) which then made me look at the benefits of soya .
Scores of studies from around the world attest to soya's cholesterol-lowering properties, especially for people with high cholesterol.
Another way of reducing your cholesterol is to use oat bran in your daily diet, However some of the oats we buy in the shops as porridge, or oatmeal have been through a complex process of hulling, polishing and flaking. And during this process the richest source of the soluble fibre “the oat bran” is removed, some manufacturers are now incorporating this in some of their products.
Most health food shops sell oat bran, which can be easily included into our daily diet. You can add it to porridge, muesli, puddings and even to your home baking.
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Terry
Phil adds. Oats are also a reasonable source of protein; probably the best of the cereals, and oat bran is quoted as 17%. - 17 grams for 100 grams bran. Actually the protein content is variable and can be higher. Oats protein is also the most ‘complete’ of all the cereals, and needs less ‘complementing’ from other sources in order for it to be more efficiently used. Soya is the most ‘complete’ of all plant (‘vegetarian’) sources of protein and is often added to bread. Protein from cereal grains is best complemented by protein from pulses (beans, lentils, peas, or soya). Rice and beans for example, deliver together a protein combination that is on a par in value with beef. An advantage of using more vegetable sources of protein is that oil content, particularly saturated fat, is generally very much lower. Soya is the exception with a high oil content, although the oil is mostly polyunsaturated. Meat and dairy products inevitably deliver a lot of saturated fat, even if you are using lean portions.
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