By Johnny Duncan

It’s been said that the goal of healthy aging is to die young—as late in life as possible. This is even more important to aging baby boomers as they seek to manage their health in an era of increasing breakthroughs in the field of medicine. With so many new drugs available, how do today’s boomers get a handle on their prescription medications?

Baby boomers are generally considered to be persons born during the post-World War II birth rate boom, lasting from 1946 through about 1964. According to the Centers for Disease Control, these boomers often suffer from high blood pressure, arthritis and diabetes; those three conditions alone accounted for over half of all visits to the doctor during 2006. Additionally, drugs prescribed or ordered for patients numbered more than 1.3 billion, reflecting both the need to prescribe multiple drugs as well as the availability of many new and popular types of medication.

“In order to keep it all under control, the best thing that you can do is ask questions,” says Crystal Ferwerda, Director of Pharmacy at Florida Hospital East. “Before you leave your physician’s office, be sure you know what you were prescribed, why it was prescribed and the best way to take it. Don’t be shy about taking notes in the physician’s office. If you feel overwhelmed during office visits, bring a trusted relative, friend or caregiver to be a second pair of ears.”

Communicating past history, allergies, surgeries, and current medications to the physician provides a wealth of information for use in proper diagnosis and treatment. “Be honest with your physician about other medications you take and lifestyle habits,” says Ferwerda. “Don’t be embarrassed by your ‘true confessions’- your caretaker has heard it all before and omission of vital information can mislead your physician as to the best way to treat your disease.”

“Patients need to be responsible,” states Dr. Jeffry Rocker, DO, Alafaya Woods Family Medical Center. “They need to do everything possible to get the education needed regarding their own health. The internet provides really good resources for this. Also, patients should develop a good relationship with their pharmacist and be able to talk with him or her about their health.”

Ferwerda agrees, “Find a pharmacy that works for you. It’s best to keep all your prescriptions at one pharmacy, so your pharmacist will be able to review your profile for potential interactions, duplication of therapy and allergies.”

When baby boomers start taking control of their health, they begin to understand the reasons behind some prescribed drugs and why they need them. To take control, they must first get organized. “Write down your medications and the time schedule you need to take it,” says Ferwerda. “Emergency personnel can reference it quickly in the event you can’t speak for yourself. If you take more than one medication, invest in a pill organizer. Periodically go through your medicine cabinet and throw out prescriptions you are no longer taking or may be expired.”

Ferwerda suggests these tips for baby boomers, and really anyone taking regular medications:

¨ Read labels on over-the-counter medications before using them and have your pharmacist check against your profile for any interactions.

¨ Never take someone else’s medications. While it may have worked fine for your brother, it might interact with the medications you are taking.

¨ Throw out old medications, because all drugs will lose potency over time and be less effective.

¨ Store your medications out of the light and away from heat or dampness – the bathroom is one of the worst places to store your drugs.