Why are you taking a PPI?

Many seniors are regular users of medications called proton-pump inhibitors (also known as PPIs, or acid reflux medications). Did you know that most patients with heartburn or regurgitation only need to take PPIs for 4-8 weeks? Many people take them for months or years without any valid reason, unaware that this increases their risk of experiencing adverse events or drug interactions. Up to 80% of PPI users worldwide have no valid reason for continued use.

Learn more by reading this story about Mr. Turner, a 67-year-old man who was prescribed omeprazole for acid reflux. See how a conversation with his pharmacist made him realize that he might not need to take this medication forever. Read more here.
Suffering from seasonal allergies? Be careful when choosing your antihistamine!

Many people suffer from allergies due to airborne pollen around this time of year. Runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes are just some of the symptoms. Antihistamines can be taken to control these symptoms, but there are adverse effects to consider, especially with use of some of the older antihistamines by seniors. Some antihistamines (called second or third generation antihistamines) are safer and produce fewer side-effects than first generation varieties. Read this brochure to learn more!
Traditional indigenous storytelling: Coyote’s food medicines, a tale about polypharmacy

The ‘Coyote’s Food Medicines’ story was created to encourage conversations about wellness and how to manage medications for a healthy life. This powerful story was written by Elders of Northern Secwepemc and is the result of a collaboration between the Shared Care Committee (a partnership of Doctors of BC and the British Columbia government) and the First Nations Health Authority.

Check out this beautifully illustrated story here and share it with your community.
CaDeN Community of Champions webinar: essential tips and useful tools for safely managing medications
Join our CaDeN Champions summer session on medication and sleep

The next CaDeN Champions live webinar and discussion is scheduled for Wednesday, August 15th from 1-2 pm ET. The discussion will focus on Nova Scotia-based initiatives targeting medication safety and sleep. Click here to register!

Watch previous session here with Janet Currie, a social worker with over 17 years’ involvement with patient and medication safety issues.
Check out Camille Gagnon’s webinar on brain health here!
Learn about the effect of medications on brain healthOn August 8th, CaDeN’s Assistant Director, Camille Gagnon, discussed medications and the brain during a webinar hosted by brainXchange in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Canada and the Canadian Consortium of Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). Seniors, caregivers and health care providers learned about how to reduce the impact of medications and polypharmacy on the brain as well as tools available to better manage medications and start a deprescribing conversation. Missed the webinar? You can view it here.

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