+ A
A -
CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
If you are on medication, then do not change the timings of your medication regimen during Ramadan without consulting your physician, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has urged people.
Those with chronic diseases and conditions such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease and atrial fibrillation, high level of cholesterol, diabetes, kidney diseases, seizure, thyroid disorders, cancer among others require daily medication to manage their condition and prevent complications.
HMC Executive Director of Pharmacy Dr Moza Sulaiman al Hail said, “Recent studies show that many patients change their medication regimen without talking to their physicians, which can lead to suboptimal management of their medical disorders. Therefore, all patients are advised to consult their doctors before deciding to fast. This ensures optimal care during the Holy Month of Ramadan.”
She urged people not to change their doses without consulting their physicians and not to take any medication on empty stomach before Iftar to avoid gastric irritation.
Dr Hail said there are treatments and procedures that do not invalidate fasting such as eye and ear drops; oxygen and anaesthetic gases, nitroglycerin tablets placed under the tongue for the treatment of angina; mouthwashes or oral sprays provided nothing swallowed enters the stomach; suppositories/pessaries (rectal/vaginal); nebuliser, enema and asthma inhaler.
“Others include all substances absorbed into the body through the skin such as creams, ointments and medicated plasters, and injections through the skin, muscle, joints or veins, with the exception of intravenous feeding,” she said.
Dr Hail recommended that those on high blood pressure medication once a day can take their doses after Suhour or Iftar, preferably after Taraweeh prayer, at the same time every day to avoid dizziness while praying or after Suhour. If the medication is more than one, it should be distributed between Iftar and Suhour.
Patients with heart valve disease and atrial fibrillation who take warfarin to prevent blood clots should take after an hour of Iftar and keep checking their international normalized ratio (INR) level to see the effect of fasting on the INR, she advised.
She warned those with a heart failure condition who are on diuretics (water pill) like Lasix against take the medication with Suhour as these medications usually last for six hours and may result in decreasing the amount of water in the body, adding that diuretics can decrease the amount of magnesium and potassium levels that are important for the function of the heart.
According to Dr Hail, patients with high level of cholesterol using long-acting drugs such as Rosuvastatin and Atorvastatin can take t them after Iftar, while short-acting drugs such as Simvastatin and Pravastatin can be taken before sleep.
She added that those taking medication for heartburn should take them before Suhour to reduce the acidity during fasting.
Patients taking medications for enlarged prostate and overactive bladder like tamsulosin and Solifenacin should take their doses after Iftar or after Taraweeh to prevent drowsiness p and dry mouth, sahe said. According to her, cancer patients should consult their physicians before deciding to. For thyroid disorders, she said proper administration time for Thyroxine is half an hour before Suhour time as it makes it feasible to be in empty stomach.
Corticosteroid medications like prednisolone and hydrocortisone should be given after suhoor time, she said.
Those who need further information about their medications can call HMC’s corporate pharmacy drug information center on 402-60-747/402-60-760/402-60-759.
DOHA
If you are on medication, then do not change the timings of your medication regimen during Ramadan without consulting your physician, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has urged people.
Those with chronic diseases and conditions such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease and atrial fibrillation, high level of cholesterol, diabetes, kidney diseases, seizure, thyroid disorders, cancer among others require daily medication to manage their condition and prevent complications.
HMC Executive Director of Pharmacy Dr Moza Sulaiman al Hail said, “Recent studies show that many patients change their medication regimen without talking to their physicians, which can lead to suboptimal management of their medical disorders. Therefore, all patients are advised to consult their doctors before deciding to fast. This ensures optimal care during the Holy Month of Ramadan.”
She urged people not to change their doses without consulting their physicians and not to take any medication on empty stomach before Iftar to avoid gastric irritation.
Dr Hail said there are treatments and procedures that do not invalidate fasting such as eye and ear drops; oxygen and anaesthetic gases, nitroglycerin tablets placed under the tongue for the treatment of angina; mouthwashes or oral sprays provided nothing swallowed enters the stomach; suppositories/pessaries (rectal/vaginal); nebuliser, enema and asthma inhaler.
“Others include all substances absorbed into the body through the skin such as creams, ointments and medicated plasters, and injections through the skin, muscle, joints or veins, with the exception of intravenous feeding,” she said.
Dr Hail recommended that those on high blood pressure medication once a day can take their doses after Suhour or Iftar, preferably after Taraweeh prayer, at the same time every day to avoid dizziness while praying or after Suhour. If the medication is more than one, it should be distributed between Iftar and Suhour.
Patients with heart valve disease and atrial fibrillation who take warfarin to prevent blood clots should take after an hour of Iftar and keep checking their international normalized ratio (INR) level to see the effect of fasting on the INR, she advised.
She warned those with a heart failure condition who are on diuretics (water pill) like Lasix against take the medication with Suhour as these medications usually last for six hours and may result in decreasing the amount of water in the body, adding that diuretics can decrease the amount of magnesium and potassium levels that are important for the function of the heart.
According to Dr Hail, patients with high level of cholesterol using long-acting drugs such as Rosuvastatin and Atorvastatin can take t them after Iftar, while short-acting drugs such as Simvastatin and Pravastatin can be taken before sleep.
She added that those taking medication for heartburn should take them before Suhour to reduce the acidity during fasting.
Patients taking medications for enlarged prostate and overactive bladder like tamsulosin and Solifenacin should take their doses after Iftar or after Taraweeh to prevent drowsiness p and dry mouth, sahe said. According to her, cancer patients should consult their physicians before deciding to. For thyroid disorders, she said proper administration time for Thyroxine is half an hour before Suhour time as it makes it feasible to be in empty stomach.
Corticosteroid medications like prednisolone and hydrocortisone should be given after suhoor time, she said.
Those who need further information about their medications can call HMC’s corporate pharmacy drug information center on 402-60-747/402-60-760/402-60-759.
