COMPASSIONATE & CARING

“A Different Type of Pharmacy”

By Chris Ayers

As pharmacies proliferate throughout the area, the personal service provided by the compassionate, caring, neighbor¬hood pharmacist and his staff becomes more difficult to find. However, such a place does indeed exist at Buford Road Phar¬macy, where it’s understood that being a pharmacist involves much more than simply filling prescriptions.

“A pharmacist should add value to one’s life,” says Buford Road Pharmacy owner, Craig Patel, RPh. Patel, and fellow pharmacist, David Williams, Pharm.D., are dedicated to doing those things that truly do add value.

“This involves establishing a personal connection between our staff and our customers,” says Patel. “This is paramount in their re¬ceiving the best treatment options at the most affordable prices.”

The two men understand the importance of being able to bal¬ance “old fashioned customer service” that one would expect from a pharmacy that had been serving the folks in and around Bon Air for over 50 years, with the latest advances in medication, prescription compounding, and over-the-counter remedies.

Are you searching for a pharmacy where you can have a pri¬vate consultation with your pharmacist? Or, how about a pharmacy where tests such as blood sugar, blood pressure, bone density, and INR are offered? You can even stop by every Tuesday for a free blood pressure or blood sugar check.

“We go beyond the boundaries of the traditional community pharmacy in both the services we provide and the manner in which we provide them,” Kelly Rea, Pharm.D. explains. “We offer such additional services as customized fittings for diabetic footwear.”

At Buford Road Pharmacy, you may be surprised to discover a unique gift department, where one can find the “un-findable” gift for anyone on her shopping list. Additionally, full service florists work with you to create stunning arrangements and gift baskets for any occasion. There’s even a full-service post office in the Business department.

“With post offices closing down, and customer service, in gen¬eral becoming more rare, says Patel, “we want to ensure our cus-tomers that we offer a host of services that they can be confident will remain here for years to come.”

Source:

Chesterfield Living Magazine: http://issuu.com/CherylACI/docs/jan12_cl_lo-res/9

Is it a heart attack?

Monthly Wellness Column | February 2012

More than a million Americans have heart attacks each year. Nearly half of them die.¹ Why does this happen? In many cases, it's because people don't take action quickly enough – or at all.

 A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked. If blood flow isn't restored quickly to that part of the heart muscle, it lacks nutrition and dies. That's why it's so important to seek medical help right away.¹

 If you or someone you're with may be having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 without delay. This needs to be an ambulance trip to the hospital, not a joy ride. If you get caught driving in traffic, you can lose valuable minutes. To help you visualize the urgency of the situation, think of a heart attack as a gunshot to the heart. If symptoms stop within five minutes or come and go, don't just thank your lucky stars. Call your doctor and describe what happened. A blood vessel could be on its way toward blockage.¹

 Cardiologists call the 60 minutes after a heart attack the "golden hour." That's because this is the narrow window of time when treatment can open arteries and prevent permanent heart damage. These heart specialists have two methods for doing this. They can use a clot-dissolving drug. Or, they can perform a procedure to open blocked heart arteries (angioplasty).²

 If treatment is so effective, why don't people get themselves promptly to the hospital where they belong? Maybe it's because many have a Hollywood image of a heart attack: the clutching of the chest, the unbearable pain, the dramatic collapse onto the floor.

 But a heart attack can have several guises. Symptoms can begin quickly or slowly. They can be severe or mild. They may come and go. They can even vary from one time to the next.³ And some people may have no clear symptoms at all. These are called "silent heart attacks." They are more common in people with diabetes.⁴

 Chest discomfort or pain may be a hallmark of heart attack. But it can feel more like pressure than pain. It may be a squeezing or heaviness, making it difficult to catch your breath. Or, you may have a feeling of fullness or indigestion, resembling heartburn.^1.4

 You may have other warning signs of a heart attack, including:

• Discomfort in one or both arms, or your back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• Nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, or fainting
• Sweating³

 So if this happen to you or someone you know, will you take the needed action? Or will you be afraid you're being alarmist and worry that the symptoms were nothing but a case of indigestion? If so, remember this: You can't die of embarrassment. But a heart attack can most definitely kill you.

After a heart attack, doctors often prescribe medications to prevent a second one. These work in various ways.  For example, they might prevent blood clots, lower cholesterol, or lower blood pressure. ⁴ Don't stop taking these without your doctor's okay. If you run into any problems or have any questions, I'm here to help guide you.

Sources

1. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. "What Is a Heart Attack?" http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/HeartAttack/HeartAttack_WhatIs.html

2. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. "Heart Attack: Key Points." http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/HeartAttack/HeartAttack_Summary.html

3. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. "Heart Attack Warning Signs." http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime/haws/haws.htm

4. WebMD: "Heart Attacks and Heart Disease." http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart_disease_heart_attacks

For more information please contact Buford Road Pharmacy at (804) 272-1423. Please ask to speak with one of our pharmacists.

Independent pharmacies place a heavy emphasis on service but what sets them apart is the value they add to their local community. Here are just a few of the benefits of using Independent Pharmacies:

• Great Customer Service: “Our staff takes the time to get to know our customers on a personal level,” says Kelly Rea, pharmacist at Buford Road Pharmacy. “We know that taking a lot of different medications can be very scary. We’ll sit down with our customers to look at potential interactions, side effects, and help them make sure they’re being compliant with their medication.”
• Cost Savings: A lot of people will stop taking medications when they can’t afford them. We take the extra time to sit down with our customer to find less expensive alternatives that will provide comparable results.
• Insurance: Most people think that their insurance will not be accepted at independent pharmacies. The reality is that the majority of third parties are accepted at independent pharmacies and the coverage is by and large the same.

Buford Road Pharmacy prides itself on going above what most independent pharmacies do by providing extra value and improving our community. Here are some of those extra services we provide for the Richmond community:

• Free Delivery (within 10 miles): If you can’t get to us, we’ll come to you. This is great for seniors or anyone not able to get out of their house.
• Free Screenings: Monitoring your blood pressure and glucose is important to your health. Every Tuesday morning we offer free blood pressure and blood glucose screenings at the pharmacy.
• Compounding & Flavoring: We can custom compound or flavor your personal and veterinary medications.

Valentine's Day Special

Starting today, January 4, 2012, all of our Diamond Rings will be 25% Off. Come in today and ask one of our associates for help picking out that great Valentine's Day gift for that special person in your life.