Choosing Safe Medicines for Parents: Things to Pay Special Attention to

(Dan Tri) - Elderly people often have memory loss and are easily confused. Therefore, choosing which medicine to buy and how to follow the treatment dosage plays a very important role in order to avoid overdose, which is dangerous to health.

Common mistakes of the elderly when using medicine

Sharing at the seminar "Choosing safe medicine for parents" held on July 24, Dr. Dao Trong Thanh, Deputy Head of Examination Department B, Friendship Hospital, said that the elderly in Vietnam often suffer from many chronic diseases at the same time, partly due to unreasonable living habits and partly due to the aging process.

However, treatment compliance is not high. Many people stop taking medication on their own when they feel better. Dr. Thanh gives an example of high blood pressure, a chronic disease, meaning it lasts for a long time, so taking medication continuously and regularly is extremely important.

BSCKII Dao Trong Thanh, Deputy Head of Examination Department B, Friendship Hospital (sitting in the middle) and Pharmacist Nguyen Van Tien Duc, Pharmacy Director, Pharmacity Pharmacy System shared at the seminar (Photo: Thanh Dong).

“Returning blood pressure to normal does not mean the disease is cured. Stable blood pressure is the result of regular and long-term medication use, not just taking medication for a few days. If you stop taking medication on your own, blood pressure can suddenly increase again, causing a high risk of serious cardiovascular complications such as stroke or myocardial infarction,” Dr. Thanh analyzed.

In addition, stopping the medication and then using it again without following the instructions can cause the body to react abnormally to the medication, reducing the effectiveness of the treatment in the following times. Stable blood pressure is the result of a persistent and persistent treatment process.

Similarly, according to Pharmacist Nguyen Van Tien Duc, Pharmacy Director, Pharmacity Pharmacy System, a common mistake adults make when using drugs is that they tend to consider the drug treatment of people with illnesses that "seem" similar to their own as applicable to themselves. That is, they imitate the prescriptions of family members and friends without specific instructions from a doctor.

“A very common case - even with my parents - is that when they feel better after taking the medicine, they stop taking it on their own. Another mistake is that they often believe in unofficial information, not from medical experts such as doctors or pharmacists, leading to improper use of the medicine, causing risks and affecting the effectiveness of treatment later on,” Pharmacist Duc emphasized.

Dr. Thanh once again emphasized that stopping medication on your own, especially during treatment, is very dangerous, especially for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Stopping medication suddenly can lead to serious, even life-threatening complications, such as stroke, kidney failure, acute hypertensive crisis or heart failure.

Dr. Thanh especially reminds patients not to stop taking medication on their own (Photo: Thanh Dong).

In some cases, people stop taking Western medicine and switch to traditional medicine or functional foods because they think it is “safe”, but in reality, it also has many potential risks. Because during the preservation process, these drugs may use some chemicals to keep them for a long time, and those chemicals can still be harmful to the body.

Besides, Oriental medicine cannot completely replace modern medicine. Western medicine has undergone rigorous research for many years, on many different groups of subjects, and has been verified for both its therapeutic effects and side effects.

On the contrary, traditional medicine or functional foods rarely have enough scientific data to prove their effectiveness, and have the risk of adverse interactions with Western medicines that patients are taking.

“Reusing old prescriptions is a very dangerous habit and is not recommended in the elderly.

First, old prescriptions are often no longer appropriate because the patient's health condition has changed over time. Re-using them may no longer be effective and may even cause harm.

Second, some drugs need to have their dosage adjusted during treatment, because the liver and kidney functions of the elderly often decline with age. If not adjusted properly, using old drugs can cause complications,” Dr. Thanh added.

Be very careful when buying medicine online

German pharmacists say that buying drugs, especially prescription drugs, through e-commerce sites or online applications is an issue that requires extreme caution.

First, prescription drugs must be used appropriately, safely, and preferably as directed by a doctor. Arbitrarily purchasing and using prescription drugs without a prescription can lead to serious health consequences, especially in the elderly.

Second, when purchasing drugs through applications or e-commerce platforms, it is necessary to choose places with clear and transparent origins. Most importantly, there must be a team of pharmacists or medical staff to advise before, during and after the drug purchase process to ensure that users receive the correct drug, the correct indication and are instructed on how to use it correctly and promptly.

According to Pharmacist Duc, the use of functional foods must always prioritize safety issues (Photo: Thanh Dong).

From practical experience, it is possible to use online drug sales channels, but should prioritize familiar, previously purchased and reputable pharmacies. When buying drugs online, you should provide a prescription, or information about new symptoms and manifestations so that the pharmacist can clearly understand the condition and provide appropriate advice.

In addition, you should only buy medicine from units that have a clear commitment to the origin, have pharmacists to guide you, have clear invoices, labels, and prescriptions to ensure your rights and safety.

“Absolutely do not buy hand-carried drugs of unknown origin, or from places with unclear information and no one taking responsibility after selling the drugs. This is especially risky for the elderly, who already have sensitive health and often take many types of drugs at the same time,” the expert emphasized.

German pharmacists also note that when using functional foods, safety must always be the top priority.

Safety here includes two factors: the first is not causing harm and the second is using it correctly. "Correct" means that the use must help improve health conditions, not taking it and then causing side effects, drug interactions or seriously affecting the customer's health. In addition, "correct" advice also lies in being suitable for each specific customer.

Safety triangle, supporting the elderly to comply with treatment

To provide the most comprehensive health care, Pharmacist Duc mentions the safety triangle model with close coordination between doctors, pharmacists and families.

In this, the doctor plays the role of diagnosing and providing the right treatment. The pharmacist will closely monitor the medication process, giving specific and reasonable instructions. The family will be the one who directly observes the level of compliance, monitors the initial response to treatment. Especially for the elderly, relatives are the closest and most supportive people during the medication process.

“Such a three-party collaboration puts the health of the customer at the center, and this clearly demonstrates humanity, that is, the patient is always taken care of comprehensively and accompanied responsibly. This is the ideal model.

According to experts, to provide comprehensive health care, close coordination between doctors, pharmacists and families is needed (Photo: Thanh Dong).

However, in reality in Vietnam today there are still some obstacles. To realize this model, there needs to be connection and sharing of information accurately and promptly. The Ministry of Health is also implementing a number of projects in this direction," said Pharmacist Duc.

According to him, if in the future, with the patient's consent, doctors can access the patient's medication history, pharmacists can grasp the diagnosis, treatment instructions and test results to provide more accurate advice, and families can monitor health progress and medication use, then handling arising problems will be much more timely and effective. This is especially important for the elderly.

This model is now quite popular in many countries around the world, typically the model of family doctors combined with community pharmacists. When an elderly customer has a health problem anywhere - whether at home, while traveling or elsewhere - the interconnected information system will help the doctor or pharmacist grasp the records, thereby providing advice and handling quickly and accurately.

Currently, at Pharmacity pharmacy, supporting patients to comply with treatment, monitoring and care after drug consultation is a very important issue. Pharmacity has deployed a number of technologies that can be applied in supporting patients. Specifically, through Pharmacity's application, customers can track their medication history and receive reminders to take medication on time.

In addition, after consultation, if customers need more information or have questions, they can join Zalo community groups, where pharmacists accompany and answer directly.

In addition, solutions such as pill splitting, pill boxes, and clear labeling have been implemented for a long time.

According to him, taking care of parents' health, especially in terms of medication, is a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly.

First, we need to help parents understand the importance of taking medication correctly.

Second, children should be a bridge to help parents understand medicine and themselves. Explain to parents what medicine is used for, how to use it, and what to pay attention to. At the same time, encourage parents to listen to their bodies and share if they feel unwell, so that the regimen can be adjusted more appropriately.

Third, always accompany your parents on the treatment journey. Using medication in the elderly is a long process, requiring patience, listening and empathy.

Dr. Thanh also hopes that families will care for and accompany their parents, grandparents, and the elderly who are undergoing treatment. Caring for parents is not just taking them to the doctor or reminding them to take medicine, but also taking the time to listen, support, and encourage them every day.

Another thing to note is that children should help their parents take medicine on time, in the right dose, and in the right amount as prescribed. Because the elderly often have memory loss, it is easy to make mistakes. For example, the doctor prescribes one pill but the patient mistakenly remembers two pills, leading to overdose and endangering health.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/chon-thuoc-an-toan-cho-cha-me-nhung-dieu-can-dac-biet-chu-y-20250806095137697.htm