Long on Meds Blog
How Can I Use Long on Meds to Optimize My Medications With My Doctor?
Many longevity programs are built around concierge medical care that can cost thousands of dollars a year. Long on Meds takes a different approach. Our goal is to help you pursue healthier aging by working with the doctors you already see and optimizing medications that are appropriate for your health.
The goal is not simply to take more medications. It is to make each medication choice count.
Where should I start?
Start with Check a Condition. Select a condition you have, such as hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, or heart failure.
Long on Meds first looks at clinical outcomes. Which medications have the strongest evidence for treating the condition and reducing important consequences such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, hospitalization, or disease progression?
Clinical effectiveness and safety always come first.
How do I evaluate the medications I already take?
Next, use Check a Medication and enter up to five of your current medications.
The tool compares individual drugs with others in their class and shows how your medications work together. This can help identify whether you are already taking a strong choice or whether another clinically appropriate medication might deserve consideration.
Why does Long on Meds also look at inflammation?
Chronic inflammation contributes to many diseases associated with aging. Medications that effectively treat the same disease can differ in their additional biological effects.
Long on Meds therefore examines whether medications also have evidence for a positive influence on inflammatory pathways.
This comes second—not first. A medication should not be selected merely because it affects inflammation. But when two medications are reasonable clinical choices, evidence for additional pathway effects can help identify opportunities for further optimization.
What about medications used primarily for their anti-inflammatory effects?
A third Long on Meds strategy is to investigate selected medications used at low doses primarily for their anti-inflammatory effects.
Dr. Gostine uses this approach himself with selected medications. These are not conventional anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Their potential benefits, appropriate doses, risks, interactions, and strength of evidence differ considerably from one drug to another.
They should therefore be considered individually with your physician rather than treated as a standard regimen for everyone.
What should I do if I find a potentially better medication?
Finding a potentially better medication is your cue to discuss that medication with your doctor. Your doctor knows things the website cannot fully account for, including your medical history, kidney and liver function, previous side effects, drug interactions, allergies, laboratory results, and other reasons a particular medication may have been selected.
Long on Meds can help identify potentially better medications. You and your doctor can then decide whether changing medications makes sense for you.
What should I take to my doctor?
After checking your medications, use Print / Save as PDF for physician to create a concise report.
Bring it to your next appointment and ask:
“Are my medications giving me the best proven outcomes for my conditions? If there are equally appropriate alternatives, could one provide additional benefits for me?”
Long on Meds is not designed to replace your doctor. It is designed to help you and your doctor ask whether the medications you already need can be selected more thoughtfully.
Print the report. Take it to your doctor. Discuss the alternatives together.