Diabetes Pharmacy
Reported March 21, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) — Experts say more than 18 million Americans have diabetes. Taking the right medications and keeping blood sugar under control are vital. Doctors have traditionally helped these patients keep track, but another source may be just as valuable. Most people visit their pharmacists when they’re sick. For diabetics — like Lilia Roque — those visits are much more frequent. “I take this much pill,” she says. “Lots of times, I don’t know which one is for the heart, which one is for this, and I want to know.” But Roque’s pharmacist can tell her. Kathryn Wesling, Pharm.D., not only delivers medicine, she also delivers education. “There is more to it, you know, to taking care of their disease. They have special needs,” Wesling, of Colonial Drug in Winter Park, Fla., tells Ivanhoe. Psychologist and diabetes educator Richard Rubin, Ph.D., from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, says pharmacists are an important part of any diabetes care team. “Pharmacists are taking a larger and larger role in helping people manage their diabetes,” he says. “One very good reason for that is how many medications most people with diabetes take.” For type 2 diabetics, that’s about seven different medications each day — a lot to keep track of, but a good pharmacist can help. Rubin says pharmacists are usually more available than doctors and typically see patients more often. Wesling answers Roque’s questions about meds, but also asks her own. “What is going on with it? Are you forgetting to take it? Are you have some type of side effect?” She even stays in contact with patients’ doctors. “If you constantly have somebody come in filling up prescriptions late,” Wesling says, “then the doctor writes a new prescription for a higher dose, it is kind of a piece of information that needs to get back to the doctor.” Roque is thankful she can turn to her pharmacist for more than just drugs. She says, “This is nice to have somebody that cares about you too.” And all patients can relate to that. Rubin says to look for a pharmacist who is a Certified Diabetes Educator. If they aren’t, he says to ask them what role they play in patient care. If they seem to be very involved, they’ll probably be a good fit.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Kathy Alexander
Media Relations
Johns Hopkins University
(410) 516-6900