A Little-Known Way to Manage Your Meds
Medicare often covers a personal consultation with a pharmacist
Carla* (name changed) is a 92-year-old woman with congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and a pacemaker. Like many people who have atrial fibrillation, she takes the blood thinner warfarin (her medication’s brand name: Coumadin) to help reduce her stroke risk.
Taking warfarin correctly can be tricky. A doctor must prescribe a dose tailored to each person’s unique chemistry, and the number of warfarin pills someone takes can change each day. Adjusting the dose usually requires regular trips to the doctor, but Carla is lucky: She now has a device that allows her to monitor the effects of her warfarin at home.
Carla is a resident at an assisted living facility in Gainesville, Fla. Tackling her complex medication regimen remained a challenge for her live-in, caretaking daughter who is in her 60s.
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