Chronic condition management is very different than usual illnesses. It involves a different kind of treatment plan and monitoring. The plan involves managing symptoms of a long-term disease that normally restricts patients from living a normal life. Through proper management of chronic diseases, healthcare experts can slow down the progression of the disease and enable you to control the symptoms. The goal is to give back control of your life.
Management of chronic disease needs to involve a complete health approach. This essentially means keeping the patients healthy and happy by understanding their health profile and treating their specific conditions. It is essential to understand that no chronic illness develops without the influence of lifestyle, genetics, and environment. All these factors are taken into account before devising a health solution to control the health conditions and associated symptoms.
What are Chronic Diseases?
Let’s first define what are chronic health conditions. These are the illnesses that stay with patients on a long-term basis and don’t go away on their own. Typically, these last for a lifetime or for several years at a time and are very difficult to deal with. There are instances when the cure lies in finding a way to live with the disease instead of finding a permanent solution. Some examples of chronic diseases include but aren’t limited to cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism, lupus, diabetes, and asthma.
Management of Chronic Diseases
Proper management of chronic illness is essential to control the condition. Your doctor will take into account your complete medical history and status. Then, he/she will decide on the treatment plan and make a recommendation for the disease. Certain medications can contradict other medications and lead to an adverse reaction. Hence, a broader view of health is required to avoid problems.
Management of chronic illnesses goes far beyond taking a blood test or treating symptoms. The goal is to minimize symptoms while controlling the condition and progression of the disease. One health condition can sometimes impact another condition. Understanding the relationship between the two is important for both patient and doctor and is essential for proper disease management.
Your doctor will look into your lifestyle to manage what factors make the condition worse. For instance, an unhealthy diet can worsen diabetes. Similarly, an environment with airborne illnesses can make you more prone to asthma attacks. Disease management isn’t only about understanding the disease. It is also about your environment, lifestyle, and how all these elements will impact your condition.
Get All the Help You Can
Chronic diseases have become more common than ever. As per the statistics, every six in ten Americans struggle with a chronic disease. With age, every 4 in 10 Americans struggle with more than one chronic illness. Management of these conditions leads to complicated symptoms and a shortened lifespan. Pharmacists play a very important role in the treatment of the condition. They work together with the doctor to create a perfect plan for you.
What is Chronic Condition Management?
First, you must understand that chronic illnesses will not disappear soon. The treatment needs to match this fact. It calls for detailed checkups, medication management, monitoring, and education. A combination of all these will keep the patient healthy and informed, which is essential for the management of crucial diseases. This allows patients to understand how these illnesses impact their health and how to minimize the associated risks.
The Role of Pharmacists in Healthcare
Pharmacists, particularly compounding pharmacists play a very important role in the management of chronic illnesses. They are subject matter experts when it comes to medication management. They understand how these medications interact with each other and the best drugs to tackle the symptoms. Pharmacists can create customized dosages, combine multiple medications into a single pill, and alter the administration to minimize side effects.
It is important to have one or multiple consultations with a pharmacist to effectively manage chronic illness. This allows the patient to build a solid rapport with a compounding pharmacist. It means that the patient can take health advice from a pharmacist. Once the medication is dispensed, the pharmacist can educate the patient on its usage, possible side effects, and interactions with other medications/vitamins.
Tackle Challenges with Compounding
One of the biggest challenges of chronic disease management is intaking multiple medications. This involves the stress of keeping up with prescription medications, proper directions, a busy lifestyle, and the risk of non-compliance. To fix this, consultation with a pharmacist is required. Compounding can tackle this problem by combining multiple medications into one. This step alone will significantly improve your ability to manage these conditions.
Importance of Working Together for Disease Management
Managing a crucial illness involves the collaboration of doctors, nurses, compounding pharmacists, and most importantly yourself. It is important to stick to solid advice on prescriptions, side effects, and the management of drugs. With the proper information, you can save money on prescriptions, minimize risks, and improve symptoms to achieve a better life quality.
We hope you found this post informative and helpful. If you struggle with taking multiple medications, it is time to explore the option of compounding. Ask your healthcare provider to take a compounding pharmacist on board. For any questions, feel free to reach out to our team, and we will gladly guide you.
Disclaimer: This article is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only. Do not substitute it for medical advice. Always listen to your doctor for the management of your condition.