Free «Older Adult Medications » Essay Sample

With age, people understand that their health is the main thing in life. However, there are age-related changes and diseases that can worsen the well-being of a person. To some extent, people can control their health. It greatly depends on the way of life, habits, daily routine, diet, and other factors. Thus, older people care about their health and usually take a great number of different drugs. The purpose of the paper is to conduct an interview with an older patient, find out what drugs a person takes and determine whether the one knows the reason for such prescription.

The study is based on an interview with a 65-year-old man. His name is Scott Wilson. In general, his state of health is quite satisfactory, although he had problems with blood pressure several years ago. Although it was usually low, he started to experience pressure surges. He frequently lost consciousness and suffered from headaches. Therefore, Scott Wilson decided to go to a doctor and find out the cause of poor health. After an examination, the health practitioner diagnosed hypertension and prescribed Caduet. Despite the fact that this medication is intended to treat high blood pressure, Scott Wilson experienced many side effects of its intake. They included drowsiness, nausea, and dizziness. Thus, the doctor prescribed another drug, Lisinopril and told Scott that it would normalize his blood pressure. Since the patient had been treated by this specialist for many years, he decided not to go to others. Therefore, he began to take Lisinopril. Besides, Mr. Wilson states that in case of any disease, for example intoxication or flu, he always goes to this doctor and follows all his prescriptions. Therefore, the patient does not listen to his friends or other specialists who advise a particular drug. The current doctor knows the case history of his patient and can determine what drug may not be suitable for Scott.

When the doctor prescribes Scott a new medication, he is the one who tells him everything about it. He warns about possible side effects and the way in which to take the drug. The doctor also told Scott Wilson everything about Lisinopril. Therefore, the patient is fully aware of the methods of application and the effect of the medication. Scott takes the drug internally, one pill per day in the morning regardless of the meal. The doctor has emphasized that it is extremely important to take Lisinopril every day at the same time drinking plenty of water.

Lisinopril is usually well tolerated. Most side effects are mild or moderate and do not require the discontinuation of the drug intake. At first, Scott Wilson experienced some of them typical for this medication such as weakness and dizziness. However, this condition passed in several days. Moreover, Scott Wilson soon started to notice an improvement in blood pressure. He had no more pressure surges. In general, his condition improved significantly. During the treatment with Lisinopril, especially when taking the initial dose, it is necessary to monitor regularly blood pressure, hemogram indexes, renal function, body weight, and the level of protein in urea and blood plasma. Therefore, at the initial stages of the drug intake, Scott consistently consulted the doctor about his condition and came for examination once a week.

In conclusion, older patients are more at risk of falling ill. Their body and the immune system have become weakened. Therefore, it is highly important to have a doctor who will control and monitor the state of the patient. Only, he or she can prescribe medications, and his/her duty is to provide complete information about the drug, its side effects, dosage, and administration.