Your heart care team: Pharmacist

While many people may think of their pharmacist as someone who simply fills prescriptions, the American Pharmaceutical Association encourages the pharmacist to work with the patient and the patient's other health care providers to "assess, monitor, initiate, and modify medication use to assure that drug therapy regimens are safe and effective."

If you regularly take heart medicine, you probably see your pharmacist more often than you see the other members of your health care team.

Do you feel comfortable talking with your pharmacist about...

how you're feeling?
how your medicines make you feel?
whether or not you have trouble sticking with your medication regimen?
whether your heart medicine interacts safely with other medicines, vitamins or supplements you're taking?
any other concerns you have about your medicine or your condition?

If your pharmacist seems too rushed to talk things over with you, try going to the pharmacy at a different time of day when things aren't so busy.

If you have trouble talking with your pharmacist, it might be a good idea to look for another pharmacy where you'll feel more comfortable. Talk to a member of your health care team for suggestions of pharmacies to try.

If you feel comfortable with your pharmacist, that's great. Your pharmacist can be a valuable member of your health care team. With your active participation in discussions about your condition, the two of you can have a positive impact on your health.