Medical Assistant should know about:
COMMON MEDICATIONS AND THE ELDERLY
One of your duties as a medical assistant, whether you work in a medical office and a medical assistant, medical office assistant or in an assisted living facility, may be to assist the client/resident with their medications. It is important, therefore, that you are familiar with some of the common medications and their potential side effects, so that you know what to look for and report. In the following paragraphs, you will be provided with some basic information to assist you with this task.
LET’S TALK ABOUT ANALGESICS: Some of the most commonly used pain relievers that people use are Tylenol (Acetaminophen), Aspirin, and Motrin (Ibuprofen), which we are all familiar with. Generally, they are taken for relief of headache, body aches (backache, muscle aches, arthritic pain, menstrual cramps), and fever reduction. But overuse of these over the counter medications can have some harmful side effects that we should all be aware of. Massive doses of Tylenol can cause liver damage. Never take more than 2 tablets every 4 – 6 hrs (Max 12 tablets regular strength in a 24hr period). Do not take Tylenol for pain relief for more than 10 days, or to reduce fever for more than 3 consecutive days. In either one of these situations involving your client/resident, your supervisor should be notified, so that proper follow up is initiated with the client/resident’s medical practitioner. Aspirin, in addition to its pain reliever and fever reducing qualities, is sometimes used to ensure sufficient blood flow to the brain, to prevent stroke, and to decrease the possibility of reoccurrence of a heart attack. This is important information for the medical assistant to remember.
