Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. 659,000 Americans die from heart disease every year, which amounts to 1 out of every 4 deaths. The most common risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking; nearly half (47%) of Americans have one of these factors. Each year, heart disease accounts for roughly 125,000 preventable deaths—many of which result from patients failing to take life-saving medication. In fact, studies suggest that patients with poor medication adherence have up to four times greater risk of stroke and death than those who take medications as prescribed.
Stay heart healthy and maximize your heart medications to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
February is American Heart Awareness month and understanding your heart health is critical in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. SingleCare’s Vice President of Pharmacy, Shaili Gandhi, Pharm.D., provides her health expert tips on how to improve heart health and maximize your medications throughout the year:
Maintain a healthy diet. The best way to prevent heart disease is to eat and maintain a healthy diet. Limit foods that are high in sodium, sugars, and fat; substitute with lower calorie foods, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that contain vitamins and nutrients that are good for your body. Start each day with a nutritious breakfast to help you achieve a normal weight, and choose water over sugary juices or sodas.
Avoid grapefruit when taking heart medications. Not all foods mix with heart medications. It’s important to keep a heart healthy diet but if you’re taking heart medications, you should always check to see if there is a drug reaction to certain foods. For instance, while grapefruit juice can be a part of a healthy diet, it can reduce the efficacy of certain heart medications.
Take your meds at the right time of day. Understanding your drug regimen is critical, especially if you take multiple medications. It’s best to work with your doctor or pharmacist to set up a regimen that takes frequency and time of day into account so you can understand which medications you can take together or apart. Patients should also consider common side effects, which may impact the time of day you take your prescription. For example, if a medication causes frequent urination, it may be better to take it earlier in the day rather than at bedtime.
Seek out prescription savings. Free prescription savings services, like SingleCare, can help people save up to 80% on their chronic heart medications and heart health supplements. It’s always worth checking—which can be done conveniently using the SingleCare app—as it's almost always less expensive than the cash price of the drug and often cheaper than a co-pay. If prescriptions are affordable, you’re less likely to skip heart-helping meds.
Check your over-the-counter medicines. Just like with food, over the counter drugs may also interact with your heart medication. For example, if you take a blood thinner medication and then aspirin, that's a double blood thinner. It’s best to check with your doctor or pharmacist before you take any over the counter medication to see if your prescription may have a drug interaction.
Ask your pharmacist for help. Confused about a medication or need advice to stick to your prescription regimen? Your local pharmacy staff is there to help you with any questions you might have on your heart health and medications. Pharmacists can help you with any questions related to the prescription you're taking, such as diet, interactions, over the counter medications or the drug itself. If you have any questions related to the disease or condition itself, it's best to speak with your doctor.
Don’t overlook your prescription pamphlet. Oftentimes, patients overlook the prescription pamphlet that the pharmacist attaches to their medication. If you forgot to ask your doctor or pharmacist a question about your medication, this pamphlet is a great resource to tell you more information about the drug and possible side effects you may experience.
Take the time to exercise. Exercise is a great way to help prevent heart disease. The Mayo Clinic reports that with “150 minutes of exercise each week, you can lower your blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure.” Find the time to incorporate some cardio, strength training, or stretching into your day. If you’ve never exercised before, start small with walks around the neighborhood and YouTube instructional videos if you’re considering more strenuous or complex exercises.
“The most important message I stress to patients about medications related to heart health is to be adherent,” said Dr. Gandhi. “Unlike other conditions, patients do not frequently feel the effects that common heart disease risk factors may have on their body. Therefore, if a patient were to skip a few doses of their medication, they wouldn’t necessarily feel it, but their condition is likely to worsen. There is a reason high blood pressure—a risk factor for heart disease—is called the ‘silent killer.’ Trust that the medications are working and are most effective when taken according to the prescribed regimen.”
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