Thomas Viola

Faced with a marketplace awash in direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs and an explosion of new drug entities over the last several years, many healthcare professionals may find it challenging to stay up to date with the latest prescribing trends in disease state management. This presentation will provide an overview of those frequently prescribed brand name medications whose actions, side effects, contraindications and potential drug interactions may have the greatest impact on well-being and overall health.

Armed with limited information and faced with rising prescription drug costs, our patients continue to self-medicate with a variety of prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, herbal remedies and dietary supplements, often without mention during a review of their medical history. Many patients add or substitute prescription and non-prescription drug products in their medication regimen, unaware of unaware of potentially serious drug interactions, contraindications, and adverse effects. This program will provide an overview of the most popular prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, herbal products and nutritional supplements patients use to self-medicate, including a discussion of the effects of the illicit use of these products. Special emphasis will be given to techniques useful in obtaining a complete and accurate patient medication history.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the major diseases affecting adults in the U.S. While mortality from heart disease has been declining steadily recently, hospital admissions related to cardiovascular disease are on the rise, due, in part, to our aging population. Hypertension remains one of the major risk factors for heart failure in men and women. It is often asymptomatic and many times may only be discovered at a routine check-up with a medical or dental professional. This program will provide an overview of cardiovascular systemic diseases and the medications used in their treatment. Specific emphasis will be placed on treatment modifications and care planning strategies recommended for these patients.