Welcome to the latest issue of Community Update, provided by the National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS). Community Update helps keep you informed about issues around medicines use as they relate to individuals and the community.

National Prescribing Service Ltd (NPS) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation for quality use of medicines. We provide accurate, balanced, evidence-based information and services to help people choose if, when and how to use medicines to improve their health and wellbeing. We are member-based and work in partnership with consumers, health professionals, government and the pharmaceutical industry.

NPS is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

In this issue

• Medicines and you – free education sessions
• Time to think about vaccinations again
• High blood pressure: the silent killer of the century
• Independent review of new Parkinson’s medicine
• National census revealing extent of medicines use problems 
  
• National Medicines Symposium 2010
• Lively radio interviews with Dr John D’Arcy
  

Medicines and you – free education sessions

For five years, Council on the Ageing (COTA) and NPS have been running information sessions about using medicines safely and effectively for seniors’ clubs and groups. This year the seminars will focus on Medicines and you.

By attending a Medicines and you session you will learn:

• where to find important medicines information
• how to get the most out of visits to the doctor and pharmacist
• what products are available to help you remember your medicines
• ways of saving money on medicines
• what generic medicines are and whether they are a safe option for you
• how to get the most from your medicines.

The information sessions are delivered by fully-trained, volunteer peer educators who can visit your seniors club or group at a time and venue that is suitable for you. The sessions are free and usually run for approximately one hour.

To book a session call COTA in your state or territory:

Time to think about vaccinations again

Vaccinations are usually associated with young children or travelling overseas, but immunisations given at childhood can wear off and leave adults exposed to debilitating diseases.

Vaccinations are usually associated with young children or travelling overseas, but immunisations given at childhood can wear off and leave adults exposed to debilitating diseases.

In the latest edition of MedicinesTalk, the National Prescribing Service (NPS) urges parents and grandparents to discuss their own vaccination needs with their doctor when taking children to get their shots.

“The need for vaccinations is not confined to children,” NPS CEO Dr Lynn Weekes said.

“People aged over 50 may benefit from being vaccinated against diseases like flu, pneumococcal disease and shingles. They may also benefit from having boosters of vaccinations like hepatitis, whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria, which may have lost their efficacy.”

Vaccinations not only protect us from infectious diseases that can cause illness, disability and death but they also protect the community as a whole by reducing the number of people who contract these diseases and pass them on.

“The most beneficial vaccinations for you will depend on your age, health and lifestyle. Talk to your doctor about what you may need to have and how frequently they should be taken – for some it’s every year, for others it might be every 10 years. Keep a record somewhere and ensure you follow up when it’s time,” Dr Weekes said.

It is particularly important those at higher risk of some illnesses keep their vaccinations up to date. These include:

• people aged over 60
• people who smoke or who are overweight
• people with an existing chronic disease or compromised immune system
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

For more information about vaccinations read the latest issue of MedicinesTalk here. 

High blood pressure: the silent killer of the century

High blood pressure is often referred to as a ‘silent killer’ because most people don’t feel any symptoms until it has caused considerable damage to their body. High blood pressure affects more than 2 million Australians and contributes to thousands of deaths every year.

In the latest edition of MedicinesTalk, the National Prescribing Service (NPS) recommends people have their blood pressure checked regularly even if they feel healthy, aren’t overweight and don’t have a family history of high blood pressure.

“High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, increases your chances of developing serious health problems like stroke, heart attack, dementia and kidney disease,” NPS CEO Dr Lynn Weekes said.
“Given its silent nature, most people with high blood pressure don’t feel sick, so they don’t realise they have a problem. Usually the only way of knowing there is a problem is by having your blood pressure checked by a health professional.”

How often your blood pressure should be checked depends on your age and health. Blood pressure is considered high if it’s greater than 140/90 mmHg (or 140 over 90). Your doctor may recommend starting medicines to help reduce blood pressure, depending on your overall risk of cardiovascular disease. If you have other health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or kidney disease your doctor may recommend you start treatment at a lower level of blood pressure.

For some people, lifestyle changes such as losing weight, reducing the amount of salt in their food, exercising regularly and quitting smoking are enough to reduce their blood pressure to normal levels.
Others will need to take blood pressure medicines long term — usually for the rest of their lives — so it’s important to know about side effects and which medicines can impact on the efficacy of the medicine and the importance of continuing with healthy lifestyle and low salt intake.

“Even if you have no cause for concern, having your blood pressure checked is painless, quick and easy, and it might just save your life,” Dr Weekes said.

For more information about blood pressure download the latest edition of MedicinesTalk here or contact NPS on 02 8217 8700.

Independent review of new Parkinson’s medicine

Parkinson’s disease affects more than 80,000 Australians. In the latest edition of Medicine Update, NPS provides an independent review of pramipexole (Sifrol), which can be used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Medicine Update is an online publication aimed at consumers and provides independent information about medicines added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to help people have informed discussions about new medicines with their health professionals.

Parkinson’s disease is a disease of the brain that affects movement. The key characteristics include shakiness (especially in the hands), muscle stiffness and slowness of movement. These symptoms are caused by a lack of dopamine, a naturally-occurring chemical produced in the brain. Pramipexole is one of several medicines called ‘dopamine agonists’ that work in a similar way to dopamine.

“People in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease who are thinking about starting a medicine for the first time may be able to choose between a dopamine agonist like pramipexole, and levodopa, another medicine commonly used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Either medicine can be suitable, but the choice is not simple and depends on each patient’s situation and preferences,” NPS clinical adviser, Judith Mackson said.

“Eventually most people with Parkinson’s disease will take levodopa to help control their symptoms. Levodopa is known to be effective but can have some unpleasant long-term side effects. Starting out with a dopamine agonist such as pramipexole may mean that people can delay starting treatment with levodopa. This, in turn, can delay some of the long-term side effects of levodopa.”

Pramipexole may also be used when the disease has progressed. In this case pramipexole is usually added to levodopa.

However, pramipexole may not control the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease as well as levodopa, and it is not without its own side effects — for example, it’s more common to experience hallucinations and confusion with pramipexole than with levodopa.

“In the end the decision needs to balance the potential side effects of the medicines with how well they control symptoms,” Ms Mackson said.

Pramipexole is available in three different strengths so as with all medicines it’s important to understand which strength you have been prescribed and how often it needs to be taken. When starting any new medicine read the consumer information leaflet and talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

To learn more about the issues that need to be considered before taking pramipexole including short-term and long-term benefits and side effects, download Medicine Update here.

National census revealing extent of medicines use problems  

Preliminary data from the National Census of Medicines Use in Australia shows a significant number of adverse medicines events aren’t being reported to GPs and people are struggling to identify information sources they can easily understand.

The census, being conducted by the National Prescribing Service (NPS) and University of Melbourne, focuses on how Australians use their medicines, including prescription, non-prescription and complementary medicines.

It is the first national census to survey what combinations of medicines people take, how people find information about medicines and whether they have experienced problems with their choices.

Analysis of data collected so far shows:

• A significant number of participants are reporting it’s difficult to find information about medicines they understand
• More than half the participants have reported the volume of information sources about medicines makes it hard to know what is accurate
• Many participants who used a medicine in the past year reported a side effect, reaction or other problem with their medicines during this time.

Data from this census will be integral to NPS programs over coming years and will assist other organisations in the health sector when developing new resources and programs for the community.

This census began in July 2009 and involves people aged over 50 years. This final phase ends in March and the full results will be published later in the year. A second phase involving people aged 18–49 will begin later in 2010.

National Medicines Symposium 2010

Do you work in the health sector or have an interest in quality use of medicines and Australian health reforms?

The biennial National Medicines Symposium, hosted by NPS, will be held this year in Melbourne from May 26–28. The theme is Medicines in people’s lives, which enables us to address quality use of medicines in the wider context of changes within the health sector, including reforms and new prescribers.

The symposium is unique in bringing together everyone involved with medicines use, including primary healthcare providers, specialists, policy makers, academics and international experts. It transcends industry silos and provides those working at the coalface the opportunity to share expertise, experience and opinion, and benefit from discussion with industry peers.

A number of panel sessions with key opinion leaders addressing political issues will be part of this year’s extensive program, as well as in-depth clinical presentations from leading clinicians and academics.

For further information including to register visit www.nms2010.org.au.

Lively radio interviews with Dr John D’Arcy

Each month NPS is interviewed by Dr John D’Arcy on Health Matters, a radio program that airs in regional areas across Australia on Sunday mornings. To listen to these short interviews go to our Health Matters page.You can also link back to this page so your communities and stakeholders can listen to them too.

Information from NPS — at no cost to you!

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NPS has many free resources for use by community groups and health professionals. To view and order from our extensive range of medicines information resources, go to NPS online catalogue.

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NPS invites you to reproduce MedicinesTalk  articles in your own newsletters. You can select an article from the latest edition of MedicinesTalk or browse back issues on the MedicinesTalk web page. Simply reproduce the article in full, include acknowledgment of NPS and indicate the relevant issue and date.

eg. ‘Reproduced with permission, National Prescribing Service, MedicinesTalk <issue month and year>.’

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