TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH - Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital

FOR A REFERRAL, CALL 1-888-DMC-2500 • DMC HURON VALLEY-SINAI HOSPITALSAVE MONEY BYUSING GENERIC DRUGSJeffrey Herman, D.O.Internal MedicineOPTIONS FORTACKLING OBESITYNeha Patel, M.D.Family Practice MedicineIt is often assumed that well-known name brand medicines reflect ahigher level of quality than the generic products. However, genericdrugs are a safe, effective and less expensive option for a variety ofmedical conditions.The misconception lies in the thought that when you pay more for a“designer” name, you receive a superior product. Since prescriptiondrugs are different from clothing or other general consumer productsthe same thought process doesn’t hold true. Most generic drugs areclinically equivalent to their name brand counterparts. However, forcertain conditions name brand drugs are preferable. An examplewould be diseases which require specific drug levels for effectivetreatment.Generic drugs cost less because their manufacturers do not have tospend the hundreds of millions of dollars it takes to complete researchand development on the new, original medicine. When the patent on abrand-name medicine expires, other drug manufacturers can makeand sell the same medicine. This same medicine is sold under itschemical, or “generic”, name. They may be a different color, shape orsize, but just like their brand name counterparts, all generic medicinesare tested and approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA)before they can be sold to consumers. FDA approved genericmedicines are just as safe and effective as brand name medicines.How much money can you save? According to the FDA compared withname brand drugs, generics can cost 30 percent to 80 percent less. Todetermine how much money you can save on generics, compare yourgeneric co-pay or cost share to the name brand co-pay/cost share…then multiply the difference by how many prescriptions you mightneed per year. This will give you an idea of how much you can save peryear by choosing generics.These days everybody worries about their weight. While most are justcarrying a few extra pounds, some of us are above the obesitythreshold. Obesity is currently defined as a body mass index (BMI) >30. People whose BMI falls between 25-29.9kg/m2 are consideredoverweight. The health consequences of obesity include some of themost common chronic diseases in our society.Obesity is an independent risk factor for heart disease, strokes andsleep apnea. Obesity is also associated with other conditions andsymptoms such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol,and osteoarthritis. All of these conditions are somewhat preventablewith weight loss.The long-term strategy for managing weight and obesity shouldinclude appropriate diet, portion control and regular exercise.Modest weight loss will improve glucose (blood sugar) metabolism,lipid (fat/cholesterol) levels and blood pressure. This leads to improvedhealth benefits not to mention feeling more energetic and healthy.Finally, surgery should be considered as a last resort option forthose with a BMI > 40 who attempted but failed an adequate exerciseand diet program with or without drug therapy. Those who are obeseand have health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes andobstructive sleep apnea may be candidates for surgery. A doctorpatientdiscussion of surgical options should include the long-termside effects of surgery such as possible need for re-operation, gallbladder disease and malabsorption to name a few.Remember, that weight control should be a lifelong goal andestablished as part of a healthy lifestyle not just as a quick means toget into to “summer shape”. Weight control should be part of yourdiscussion with your physician during routine exams.While generic drugs are generally safe and equally effective asbranded drugs; never make the switch to generic drugs without firstconsulting with your physician.Learn more about generic drugs at our FREE People’s Medical College Seminar on June 20, 2009.Location: Bakers of Milford 2025 S. Milford Rd. Milford, MI 48381Time: 10:00 a.m.Register for this event online at /www.dmc.org/PeoplesMedicalCollege/ or by calling 1-888-DMC-2500.3