How Does Deprescribing Work Everything You Need to Know About Deprescribing
The world of medicine is constantly evolving, and since no one body is the same, the type of medication and their doses will differ from person to person. If some patients are required to increase their doses, some reduce theirs, and the latter is known as deprescribing.
Deprescribing is a process of dose reduction or stopping medication that is planned and supervised. There are different reasons a patient needs to be deprescribed, like the medication can be causing harm or no longer benefiting from the meds.
Why Do We Deprescribe?
As mentioned earlier, different factors could affect the reason for deprescribing a patient. Some could be due to harmful effects, while some medications may have worked before but aren’t working on their bodies now.
You should know that when you’re using medication, how much your body can tolerate it will change as you age. When you take high doses of a medication, it can cause more harm than good, and because of this, deprescribing can optimize your medical intake, targeting your conditions much better.
Not to mention, when you deprescribe, you get to mitigate adverse effects and get better results. Ideally, you want to speak to your doctor and pharmacist about deprescribing so you can find better and less harmful alternatives as your body and condition change.
Can Patients Experience Withdrawal Symptoms When They Deprescribe?
Like any medication, when you abruptly stop or reduce your doses, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may include worsening pain and other effects that could tamper with your daily activities. Because of this, when you’re deprescribing, it’s best to have a health care provider work with you to help address your needs.
Why is Deprescribing Important?
Not all medications are the same, and you will experience different effects whether you increase your doses or not. Many medications are given to patients to help fight a condition together, but as you increase your meds, the risk factors increase as well.
To mitigate risks and unwanted chemical reactions from different substances, some patients must reduce their doses. Although this sounds pretty straightforward, licensed pharmacists are needed since they’ll have all the skills and information to do a full Medscheck consultation.
How Can Pharmacists Help?
Your pharmacist and doctor will work hand in hand to create the right medication plan that fits your condition. With that being said, here are some responsibilities of a pharmacist:
Pharmacists are responsible for compounding and dispensing prescriptions, providing pharmaceutical information, monitoring customer’s drug treatment, and providing safe medication use.
Pharmacists must practice medication reconciliation to ensure that the patient’s current medication list is accurate and complete. With that, they’ll prevent errors in omission, dosing, duplications, and drug interactions.
Pharmacists will work together to constantly update their patient’s medication list to ensure that the proper medications and doses are given at the right time. This is vital when patients are transferred to other hospitals to avoid double-dosing.
The Bottom Line: Speak to Your Pharmacist About Deprescribing
When you want to start to taper off your medication, or you’re experiencing adverse effects with your meds, it’s best to speak to your doctor and pharmacist about your condition to see if there could be a better alternative. Deprescribing can help mitigate health risks and prevent harmful effects from occurring to help you live and recover fully. MyEasyDose by Community Care Pharmacy is ready to assist you with consultations, and we can even include your doctor. We use our proven model to make sure you get healthier over time. Contact us today to get started!