medication safety Archives - Better Health While Aging

046 – Interview: Deprescribing & Reducing Risky Medications in Aging

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Dr. Cara Tannenbaum about deprescribing, empowering older adults, and how to get off unneeded or risky medications. Dr. Tannenbaum holds a Professorship in Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Montreal and helped to found the Canadian Deprescribing Network. They discuss:

Why it’s so common for older people to be on medications that could be deprescribed
Why empower older adults to talk to their doctors about deprescribing
How Dr. Tannenbaum developed the EMPOWER brochure, which resulted in 25% of participants being able to stop sedative medications such as lorazepam
Common mistakes people make when they try to stop risky medications too quickly
Which medications are especially important for seniors to consider deprescribing
The six questions you should regularly ask your doctors about your medications

[Read more…]

044 – Hospice Medications & What to do if You’re Concerned

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

In This Episode:

Dr. K addresses a reader’s concerns about the morphine and lorazepam (brand name Ativan) that were given to her relatives with dementia, while on hospice. She covers:

Common end of life symptoms, and which symptoms are common in people with advanced Alzheimer’s
How morphine is usually used at the end of life, to manage problems such as pain and shortness of breath
Why it’s usually possible to use morphine to control symptoms without “hastening” death
Why it’s unclear that lorazepam should be used as often as it is, in hospice care
How to choose a good hospice provider
How to be proactive, to avoid problems and misunderstandings with the hospice team
What you can do, if you’re concerned about the care a loved one is receiving while on hospice

[Read more…]

041 – UTIs and Urine Bacteria in Aging:
How to get the right diagnosis & avoid unneeded antibiotics

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 4 Comments

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains why having bacteria in one’s urine does NOT mean one has a urinary tract infection (UTI) that requires antibiotics. In fact, as people get older, they may have bacteria in the urine but no UTI symptoms or other signs of infection. This condition, called “asymptomatic bacteriuria” is common, and is often inappropriately treated with antibiotics. In this episode:

How to know if one has asymptomatic bacteriuria versus a UTI that warrants antibiotics
Why having asymptomatic bacteriuria becomes more common as people become older
Why the Infectious Disease Society of America and others have repeatedly urged doctors to NOT treat asymptomatic bacteriuria
The challenge of correctly diagnosing UTIs in people with dementia
How one can be harmed by using antibiotics to try to eliminate bacteria in the bladder
What to do if you’re worried about urine bacteria — or a possible UTI — in an older person

[Read more…]

In This Episode:

In This Episode:

In This Episode:

Disclaimer