Health issues come to rise as we age; emphasizing the need for quality home health care in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While there are medications that can be prescribed, your doctor would also disclose the other effects these meds can cause to your loved one.
Older people with medical conditions are recommended to consider getting services such as skilled nursing in Pennsylvania along with the appropriate medications.
In case these medications are prescribed and insomnia happens, you can talk with your doctor about adjusting the dosage, changing to another medication, or trying alternative options. Your direct care worker can help manage and oversee the coordination, implementation, and evaluation of the changes.
- Alpha-blockers, e.g. alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), or prazosin (Minipress), treat many conditions such as hypertension but are also linked to decreased REM sleep. Safer options such as benzothiazepine calcium channel blockers address high blood pressure without disturbing sleep.
- Corticosteroids, e.g. cortisone, methylprednisolone (Medrol), or prednisone (sold under many brand names, such as Deltasone and Sterapred), are prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Sjögren’s syndrome. Since inflammation is reduced, the adrenal glands are exhausted – causing insomnia. As a safer option, consult your doctor if it is possible to keep with a single dose at the start of the day.
- Statins, e.g. atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Mevacor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), that treat high cholesterol also cause muscle pain – keeping patients unable to rest. Unless the remaining option, changes in lifestyle, additional medications, and other suggestions by your physician can be explored.
Is your loved one having trouble sleeping? Let Daily Dove Care help. Call us to get started.
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