fundamentals
Tools of Prevention
Preventive Medication Therapy
Preventive medication therapy (also known as chemoprevention) is the use of medications to prevent disease. For such therapy to be recommended, the person must be at risk of the disorder being prevented and be at low risk of side effects caused by the medication being considered. Preventive medication therapy is clearly helpful in, for example, prevention of infection in people with certain disorders (such as AIDS), prevention of headache in people with migraines, and many other specific situations. Although preventive medication therapy is effective only in specific situations, some of those situations are common, so the therapy is useful for many people. For example, for adults at risk of coronary artery disease or stroke,aspirinis usually recommended. Newborns routinely receive eye drops to prevent gonococcal infection of the eyes. Women who are at high risk of breast cancer may benefit from preventive medication therapy (for example, with the medicationtamoxifen). The three levels of prevention are primary, secondary, and tertiary. Inprimary prevention, a disorder is actually prevented from developing. Types of primary prevention include the following: Vaccinations Counseling to change high-risk behavior Sometimes chemoprevention Insecondary prevention, disease is detected and treated early, often before symptoms are present, thus minimizing serious consequences. Types of secondary prevention include the following: Screening programs, such as mammography to detect breast cancer and dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to detect osteoporosis. Tracking down the sex partners of a person diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (contact tracing) and, if necessary, treating these people to minimize spread of the disease. Intertiary prevention, an existing, usually chronic disease is managed to prevent complications or further damage. Types of tertiary prevention include the following: For people with diabetes: Control of blood sugar, excellent skin care, frequent examination of the feet, and frequent exercise to prevent heart and blood vessel disorders For people who have had a stroke: Takingaspirinto prevent a second stroke from occurring Providing supportive and rehabilitative services to prevent deterioration and maximize quality of life, such as rehabilitation from injuries, heart attack, or stroke Preventing complications in people with disabilities, such as preventing pressure sores in those confined to bed. 