{"id":49567,"date":"2022-03-04T14:35:17","date_gmt":"2022-03-04T19:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=49567"},"modified":"2022-03-04T17:19:52","modified_gmt":"2022-03-04T22:19:52","slug":"medication-management-for-people-with-down-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/medication-management-for-people-with-down-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"Medication management for people with Down syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why is medication management especially important for patients with Down syndrome?<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to <\/span>the Journal of the American Medical Association<\/span><\/a>, people with Down syndrome are about 12 times more likely to die from an infectious disease. Because people with Down syndrome are born with impaired immune function, their immune systems are weaker overall, which makes them more likely to get sick. They\u2019re also more prone to certain medical conditions, such as heart disease, respiratory infections, and Alzheimer\u2019s disease. In fact, an <\/span>estimated 50% of people with Down syndrome<\/span><\/a> will develop Alzheimer\u2019s as they age. For these reasons, staying on top of medication management is especially important for people with Down syndrome and their caregivers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Because they may metabolize or process drugs differently, people with Down syndrome can be highly sensitive to medications. It\u2019s very important to monitor and watch for side effects when someone with Down syndrome starts a new medication.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, those with Down syndrome are at increased risk for poor medication adherence because they may not understand or remember to take their medication. They could accidentally take too much or too little. So it\u2019s important to supervise them when they are taking their medication, or in the case of high-functioning individuals, to regularly check in to ensure they\u2019re taking the correct medications at the right times.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the Five Rights of medication administration?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The five rights of medication administration are a set of best practices for delivering medication to patients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n