Travel Vaccinations
When travelling outside Canada, you may be at risk for a number of vaccine preventable illnesses. You should consult a pharmacist preferably six weeks before you travel. This is an opportunity to:
- Review your immunization history
- Make sure your provincial / territorial vaccination is up to date
- Discuss any trip related health concerns you may have
- Assess your needs based on where you plan to travel and what you plan to do
You may need additional vaccinations depending on your age, planned travel activities and local conditions. Preventing disease through vaccination is a lifelong process.
Compounding
A compounding pharmacy creates many forms of prescription medications, with different delivery systems. That’s important because it makes medications available in forms that may be easier for some people to take, such as liquid formulation (suspension) capsules, suppositories, creams, gel, ointment, enema, lozenges etc. Flavored compounded suspension for children, seniors and pets is a very popular compounded medication. We compound medications due to following reasons:
- Medications that are not available commercially
- Medications that are on back order
- If patient is allergic to one of the ingredient of commercially available product
- Medications that are made based on your choice, such as sugar free, dye free, alcohol free or lactose free etc
- Medications in a dosage form that is not usually or easily commercially available
Compounding doesn’t just make it easier to administer the correct dosage of a given medication (or combination of compatible medications), but can also help promote better therapeutic outcomes by offering customized medications.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Care First Pharmacy has blood pressure monitor kiosk bought from PharmaSmart. You can check your blood pressure free on daily basis and can discuss your results with pharmacist. The kiosk offers:
- Seated, upper arm measurement
- Easy, one button operation
- Compact size – 26 in x 20 in of floor space
- Four information display panels
- User record card holder
Hormone Replacement
HRT is typically used as people age and hormone levels drop, particularly for women who are in perimenopause or menopause. It’s used to increase the levels of the hormones that have dropped and improve moderate to severe menopause symptoms, including:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Mood changes
- Memory loss
- Weight gain
- Sleep issues
- Loss of interest in sex or pain during sex
In addition to helping with symptoms, hormone replacement therapy may also reduce your risk for diabetes, tooth loss, and cataracts. There’s some evidence that it can help improve skin thickness, hydration, and elasticity, and even reduce wrinkles.
Diabetes Management
More than two million Canadians live with diabetes, and more than 200,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Diabetes can also lead to other complicated diseases such as hypertension, kidney disease and stroke compared to those without diabetes.
Pharmacists play an important role in diabetes management and are ideally positioned to take on even greater responsibilities.
Pharmacist at Care First Pharmacy will be available to discuss about the foot and eye care if you have diabetes. Pharmacist can also educate you on using blood glucometer and diet that is recommended for diabetic patients.
Blister Packaging
Statistics show that 81% of adults over 65 years of age (Seniors) take one or more medications daily and 29% of seniors take five or more medications daily. Adherence is inversely proportional to number of medication take daily. Blister packing can increase adherence by 50%.
Blister packing is a process whereby the pharmacy fills a “pack” with all of your medications. We take all the worry off your mind. We pre-pack for you all your medications so you wont forget any of them or take them at the wrong time of the day.
Asthma Education
Asthma can be controlled in a better way when patients talk to pharmacist about their condition. The pharmacist conducted activities such as issuing asthma action plans, educating patients, recommending to step up/down therapy, reviewing inhaler technique and making other relevant recommendations such as device changes (e.g., dry-powder to metered-dose inhaler) improved the asthma control in majority of patients.
Giving Up Smoking
Smoking can increase your risk of dying from a heart attack and getting different kinds of cancer, such as lung cancer. To learn about the ways that smoking can affect your health. If you smoke while pregnant it may harm your baby. If you are pregnant and would like information about quitting smoking, speak with your health care provider. In BC, Smoking Cessation Program is free for BC residents.
Talk to our pharmacist to choose the most suited nicotine replacement therapy for yourself. (Nicotine replacement therapy options are: Nicotine Patches, Nicotine Gum, Nicotine Lozenges, Nicotine Inhaler. )
Medication Review
Now more than ever, British Columbians are taking control of their health by talking to their community pharmacist. Your pharmacist is a medication expert that can help you better understand your medications. Accessible and convenient, your pharmacist is available to help you with a variety of clinical pharmacy services, such as Medication Review Services and more.
If you have been prescribed at least five medications in the last six months and you are a BC resident with a valid BC Services Card, you may benefit from Medication Review Services. The aim of the service is to help British Columbians better understand their medications. When you understand your medications – from why you are taking them, when to take them, and how to best take them – you make informed decisions and have greater ownership of your overall health.
Immunizations
As we get older, the protection we had from previous vaccination can decrease for some diseases. Getting another dose (called a booster) can increase our immunity to provide the best protection. Some adults may have missed one or more of their vaccines when they were a child. They may need to catch up and get these vaccines now.
There are also diseases that are more common in adults, even healthy adults. This is why additional vaccines are needed as we get older.
By keeping up to date with vaccines, adults can prevent the spread of disease to those who may be more likely to contract them. These include:
- Babies
- Young children
- Pregnant women
- People with certain medical conditions such as those who have weakened immunity
Many Canadian adults are not up to date with their vaccines. Talk to your Pharmacist to see what you need to do to be fully protected.
Halal/Vegetarian Vitamins
Halaal and vegetarian vitamins and supplements will be available at Care First Pharmacy on demand. Talk to our pharmacist for more details.
Contact Us
101-19390 68 Ave
Surrey, BC V4N 6A9
T: (604) 510-3549 | F: (604) 510-3568
info@carefirstpharmacy.ca
Hours Of Operation
Saturdays & Sundays: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Reduced Hours On Holidays
