Medication Management

What is medication management?

Medication management is a service many health care practices offer patients to optimize the benefits of prescription r medicines. It ensures that patients aren't taking medications they don't need, that they're on the appropriate dose, and that they’re not experiencing adverse effects.

Medication management is also important for reviewing the medicines you're taking to see if there are better alternatives or adverse side effects. Newer, safer, and more effective therapies are continually in development, and they could offer better outcomes. In some cases, different therapies become available that reduce or eliminate the need for certain medications.

Victory Recovery Partners provides medication management services for patients enrolled in an addiction recovery program who are taking prescription medications for health conditions that are separate from their substance use disorder. These conditions are known as co-occurring disorders.

Why might I need medication management?

Many patients who undergo rehabilitation for addictions have co-occurring disorders such as:

• Hepatitis
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
• Diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Chronic pain conditions
• Anxiety and depression
  
  

These conditions often require medications, for example, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for hypertension, antiretrovirals for HIV, or metformin for diabetes. While it's important to take any medicines prescribed to you for these diseases, it's also vital for your provider at Victory Recovery Partners to know what you're taking and the quantities.

Some drugs can affect your chances of successful recovery or may interact with the medications you’re taking on a MAT (medication-assisted treatment) program. Drug interactions can sometimes cause unpleasant or dangerous side effects, or they may alter the effect of the addiction recovery medicines.

Medication management enables your provider at Victory Recovery Partners to assess the impact of any medications you're taking on your rehabilitation. They can then suggest alternative drugs that may be better for patients with addictions. They can also monitor your health to ensure you don't suffer any adverse effects.

Does medication management extend to my psychiatric medicines?

Very often, patients with substance use disorders also have mental health conditions that require medication. If you're under the care of Victory Recovery Partners, your provider is likely to be administering and supervising your prescriptions for medications like antidepressants and antipsychotics and will manage your medications directly.

All medication management services at Victory Recovery Partners are given by psychiatrists trained in addiction medicine to patients who've undergone a psychiatric evaluation. Optimal medication management can improve your chances of a successful recovery, reduce the risk of side effects, and help you manage your overall health more effectively.

To find out more about the medication management services offered at Victory Recovery Partners, call the nearest office and schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.