STROKE - Medication Adherence

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Medication adherence is a prevalent issue surrounding recurrent stroke prevention. Over 50 percent of aging patients on multiple prescription medications admit that they forget to take their medications at varying degrees, with some patients habitually missing their medications. Many patients also admit to not taking their medications exactly as prescribed. Taking medications as prescribed is central to recovery post-stroke and recurrent stroke prevention. Ask Your Healthcare Professional or Pharmacist: What is the medicine’s name and what is it for? When and how do I take this medicine? What are the possible side effects? When should I expect the medicine to start working? Will the medicine interact with any of my other medicines? Is it okay to take this medicine with my supplements (e.g., vitamins, omega-3, etc.)? What should my medicine look like? What do I do if I forget my dose? What are the repercussions if I stop taking this medicine altogether? Besides time of day, is there anything else I should know about taking my meds (e.g., on a full stomach, with milk, etc.)? Are there foods I need to avoid when taking this medicine? One of the best ways to manage your medications is stay organized with a medication tracker.   Medication Assistance Generic Name Brand Name Assistance Program  Class Condition It Treats Atorvastatin calcium Lipitor® Pfizer Statin High cholesterol Baclofen Kemstro™, Gablofen®, Lioresal® Medtronic Inc. GABA receptor antagonist Spasticity OnabotulinumtoxinA Botox® Allergan Neurotoxin Upper limb spasticity and incontinence Dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate Nuedexta™ Avanir Miscellaneous central nervous system agent Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) Dipryidamole Persantine® Boehringer Ingelheim Antiplatelet Prevents blood clots Aspirin/Extended-release dipyridamole Aggrenox® Boehringer Ingelheim Antiplatelet Prevents blood clots Clopidogrel bisulfate Plavix® Bristol-Myers Squibb Antiplatelet Prevents blood clots Dabigatran etexilate Pradaxa® Boehringer Ingelheim Anticoagulant Atrial fibrillation (Afib) Losartan potassium Cozaar® Merck Angiotensin II receptor antagonist High blood pressure Rosuvastatin calcium Crestor® AstraZeneca Statin High cholesterol Telmisartan Micardis® Boehringer Ingelheim Angiotensin II receptor antagonist High blood pressure Ticlopidine hydrochloride Ticlid® Roche Laboratories Antiplatelet Prevents blood clots Alteplase Activase®—Also known as tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) Genentech Thrombolytics Breaks down blood clots Warfarin Coumadin®, Jantoven®, Marevan® Bristol-Myers Squibb Anticoagulant Prevents blood clots There are other medications that are prescribed to treat conditions associated with stroke that may not be listed above.  Explaining Stroke-Related Medications Drug Class What They Do Examples Anticoagulants Reduce the risk of blood clots and prevent existing blood clots from getting bigger by thinning the blood Heparin®, Pradaxa®, Coumadin® Antiplatelets Prevent platelets (blood cells) from sticking together Plavix®, Aggrenox®, Persantine®, Ticlid® Angiotensin II receptor antagonists Block angiotensin II, a chemical that triggers muscle contraction around blood vessels, narrowing them. By inhibiting the chemical, blood vessels can enlarge and blood pressure is reduced. Micardis®, Cozaar®, Hyzaar®  GABA (gamma-Amino butyric acid) receptor antagonists Inhibit the action of GABA, which inhibits neurotransmitters and regulates the nervous system. Kemstro™, Gablofen®, Lioresal® Miscellaneous central nervous system agents Affect physiological and psychological processes in the central nervous system Nuedexta™ Neurotoxins Interact with proteins in nerves to relax muscles Botox® Statins Lower cholesterol by inhibiting the enzyme in the blood that produces cholesterol in the liver Lipitor®, Crestor®, Zocor®, Mevacor®, Lescol® Thrombolytics Break up blood clots  Activase®