In early 2009, patients with hypothyroidism who were taking natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) discovered that Armour, one of the most popular forms of this medication, was suddenly difficult to obtain. The Armour medication shortage became a long-term problem, lasting through some of 2010 as well. For pharmacists, this meant negotiating new prescriptions that changed patient medications entirely. If you're looking for a way to ensure that your facility can meet the needs of hypothyroidism patients in the face of another shortage of traditional NDT medications, you should work with a specialist that offers compounding. Here are a few benefits of compounding for hypothyroidism patients.
Accessibility When Commercial Supplies Aren't Available
Compounding pharmacies utilize many of the same basic raw materials that the traditional pharmaceutical manufacturers use to create their pills. That means that when the manufacturers of the standard medications aren't able to meet the demand, compounding pharmacies can create medications to match the needed dosages.
Precise Control of Dosage
When you work with a compounding pharmacy to fulfill patient needs, you can have each prescription adjusted to match the precise level of thyroid hormone needed. Particularly when you're dealing with desiccated thyroid, you'll need to balance the T3 and T4 hormones in the pill. Since some patients have trouble converting T4 to T3, you may find that some need additional T3 hormone in their NDT medication to ensure a proper dose. Since compounding pharmacies create the pills precisely to order, you'll be able to meet those T3 needs with every NDT prescription refill.
Elimination of Problematic Fillers
Many patients who have autoimmune thyroid disorders also have co-morbid conditions like celiac disease. That means these patients have to avoid gluten, which is often used as filler for medications in the form of wheat starch. When you work with a compounding pharmacy, you can ensure that the medication you provide is free of any potential contamination of gluten. Working with a compounding pharmacy also allows you to ensure that the medications are free of any other leading allergens, like egg protein, dairy, and more.
Don't risk losing patients at your facility because of an inability to access medications like NDT in the midst of medication shortages. When you work with a compounding pharmacy, you'll not only be certain that you can provide precise dosages in compounds that work for your patients but also ensure that the medications are free of any fillers that could cause problems for certain patients. Personalization is a great step toward treatment success, so talk with a compounding pharmacy about the options for supplying your patients today.
For more info, talk to a compounding pharmacy in your area.
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