It's Topic Tuesday

Lack of memory is a major complaint within the Aortic Disease community and forgetting to take your medication happens way too often.

Today's Topic Tuesday is from Drugs.com from an article titled: "8 Creative Ways to Remember to Take Your Medications".

👉Let's learn about these tools and please share your ideas below🙂

"When you take your medication on a regular basis, your body reaches what is known as “steady state” – the amount of drug going into your body (absorption) is the same as the amount of drug going out (metabolism and excretion).

All medications have a “half-life” - that is, the time it takes for your body to eliminate half (50%) of the drug levels in your body. It usually takes about 5 half-lives for a drug to reach its steady state or to be almost completely eliminated from your body.

Many of us think it’s no problem when we miss a dose or two of medication, but this isn't always true. Some drugs have longer half-lives, and some drugs have shorter half-lives. For example, if your medication has a half-life of 12 hours, like the common blood pressure drug lisinopril (Zestril), your steady state blood levels of medication could dangerously decline if you just missed a day or two of medicine. Your blood pressure can rise and this could have ill effects on your heart health. This is one reason why it is so important to take your medications regularly as prescribed by your doctor."

1. Learn about your medications (Join tonight's Live event on our YouTube channel with Dr. Kristin Watson as she presents everything about Aortic Disease medications)

2. Pill Boxes

3. Electronic apps and pill reminders

4. Calendar alerts

5. Link taking meds with a daily activity

6. Get help from friends and family

7. Keep an up to date list of your medications, dosing etc

8. Ask your doctor and pharmacist to help simplify your regimen if necessary.

To learn about these tips on greater detail, click here.