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Cincotta Discount Chemist

Health Services

Blood Pressure Checks

High Blood Pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart, stroke and blood vessel disease. High blood pressure rarely gives warning signs which why it is beneficially to have yours tested – how frequently depends on your circumstances.

The early detection of chronic disease provides an opportunity for their effective treatment and/or management. Once a patient has been diagnosed with a chronic disease, such as heart disease of high blood pressure (hypertension), regular monitoring may be appropriate in the management of their condition.

Cincotta Discount Chemists are ideally placed and fully equipped to assist in the monitoring of blood pressure. While measuring blood pressure is useful and helpful in managing hypertension, it is also used to help identify people at risk of developing certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Once we have gathered two or more readings, we can graph the readings, showing any trends in your blood pressure. We can also help you better understand natural fluctuations in blood pressure and advise you when to return to your doctor for further investigations.

It is important to understand a few things about blood pressure. Firstly, blood pressure is recorded, and talked about as two numbers. The first number is the systolic blood pressure and tells us how hard your heart is pumping to send blood from your heart to travel around your body. The second number, the diastolic blood pressure, is an indication of how well your heart relaxes between beats. The units used are millimetres of mercury, abbreviated to mmHg. Remember the old blood pressure monitor doctors used, and some still do? Those old meters had a thin tube containing mercury and the measurement of blood pressure corresponded to how far up the tube the mercury rose. Electronic devices are mostly used now and are just as accurate as the old Sphygmomanometers.

Your local Cincotta Discount Chemist Pharmacist can measure your blood pressure free of charge, talk through your results and provide you with advice on simple lifestyle changes that may assist you with improving your overall health and wellbeing.

For a test that takes under a minute, it can be one that can save your life. Book in for a blood pressure test today!

Blood Glucose Testing

Did you know you can check your risk of diabetes at your local Cincotta Discount Chemist? If you are unsure whether you could be at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, ask your Cincotta Discount Chemist pharmacist for a Diabetes Risk Assessment. With 280 Australians diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes every day, you may be at risk*.

You may be at a higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes if you:

  • Have a family history of diabetes

  • Are over 40 years old

  • Are physically inactive and/or have poor nutrition

  • Are a smoker

  • Have high blood pressure

Cincotta Discount Chemists Diabetes Risk Assessment can assess your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes and covers:

  • · On-the-spot finger prick blood test (HbA1c) (optional) - A HbA1c test measures the amount of glucose (sugar) attached to your red blood cells. The test provides a measure of whether there has been too much sugar in your blood over the previous 3 months

*Diabetes Australia. (2015). Retrieved from: https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/diabetes-in-australia

Diabetes Medication Management & MedsChecks

Medication management is a major factor in ensuring that you have control of your diabetes management. If eligible for a diabetes Medscheck, your Cincotta Discount Chemist Pharmacist can help you improve medication use through education, self-management and medication adherence strategies with the goal of improving health outcomes. The Diabetes Medscheck takes about 45 minutes and may be claimable through Medicare.

NDSS – National Diabetes Service Scheme

The NDSS delivers products and services to people with diabetes. Registration to the NDSS is free for eligible individuals and once the registration process is complete, you will receive a NDSS card which entitles you access to heavily subsidised products that help you to self-manage your diabetes. These products include:

  • Subsidised blood glucose testing strips

  • Subsidised urine testing strips

  • Free insulin syringes and pen needles

  • Subsidised insulin pump consumables

Medication Packing

Taking 3 or more medications daily can get confusing at times to keep track of. Your Cincotta Discount Chemist Pharmacist can work with you and your doctor to pack your medicines into an easy-to-use weekly pack. This will help ensure you are taking the right medication at the right time of day.

Using a medicine organiser to help you take your medicine as directed, helps you get better results from your treatment.  Speak to your Cincotta Discount Pharmacist today about medication packing.

Medication Management Reviews

A medication management review consultation is conducted with one of our friendly pharmacists for approximately 45minutes. During this time, you will be taken through and provided with information on your medications including:

  • · What each medication is for;

  • · How they should be taken;

  • · How they should be stored; and

  • · How they can affect other medical conditions

To book please contact your local Cincotta Discount Chemist today!

Quit Smoking

Smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of illness and death in the Australian community. Smokers risk of heart disease is 3 times greater, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is up to 6.3 times greater and lung cancer is up to 20 times greater than non- smokers. There are many other health impacts of smoking that may impact your day to day health, symptoms include shortness of breath and reduced fitness levels.

What is the best way to quit smoking?

Many smokers will try to quit “cold turkey” - this is abruptly trying to cut out smoking all together without any assistance. However, less than one in 20 of these unaided quit attempts are successful. By quitting cold turkey, you are exposing yourself to a range of withdrawal symptoms making it more difficult to quit.

Cincotta offers a smoking cessation program using the latest evidence to ensure you achieve your goals and live a healthier life. The Cincotta “My Quit Plan”, is a personalised management plan that will address nicotine dependence by prescribing an appropriate NRT regimen for you. The program will also provide support and counselling which will address the behavioural side of smoking such as identifying your smoking triggers such as coffee, stress, social situations, and work together to develop strategies to overcome these pressures. The program is 12 weeks long and includes 5 follow up sessions to review your progress, discuss any slip ups, set new goals and review your NRT regimen.

To discuss your quit plan or other quit smoking options, pop into your local Cincotta Discount Chemist today and speak to our friendly pharmacists.

Medical Certificates

If you need a medical certificate to cover your sick leave or carer’s leave at work, our team of pharmacists at Cincotta Discount Chemist can help.

Pharmacists will only be able to provide medical certificates for illnesses and conditions within their recognised practice, so speak to you Cincotta Discount Chemist Pharmacist about this service.

Sleep Apnoea Services

Sleep Apnoea (OSA) occurs when the walls of a person's throat collapse during sleep, blocking off the upper airway. Breathing stops for a short period of time until the brain registers a drop-in oxygen levels and sends a small wake up call. The person may snort or gasp as they re-open their airway before drifting back to sleep. This can occur hundreds of times each night without the person realising or remembering resulting in severely fragmented sleep. OSA is also associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Cincotta Discount Chemist Sleep Apnoea Services are designed to identify and support people living with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). The first service is a home sleep study to investigate if you have OSA. The second service is a CPAP trial, for people who have been recommended CPAP therapy as treatment for OSA.

Selected Cincotta Discount Chemist stores also offer a wide range of CPAP machines and accessories available for purchase.

Emergency Contraception

Emergency contraception reduces the chance of pregnancy after unprotected sex.

Two types of emergency contraceptive pills are available in the dispensary from your Cincotta Discount Chemist pharmacist without a prescription:

  • Levonorgestrel 1.5mg tablet – taken as soon as possible and within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex.

  • Ulipristal acetate 30mg tablet – taken as soon as possible and within 120 hours (5 days) of unprotected sex.

How do emergency contraceptive pills work?

Emergency contraceptive pills work by stopping or delaying the release of an egg from a woman’s ovaries (ovulation).

How effective are emergency contraceptive pills?

The sooner you take an emergency contraceptive pill after unprotected sex, the better chance it will have of working. Emergency contraceptive pills are not 100% effective at preventing pregnancy. Our pharmacists can advise you on what options are available and any follow-up testing you may require.

Do emergency contraceptive pills have any side effects?

Emergency contraceptive pills can cause side effects. Our pharmacists will provide comprehensive information about possible side effects and are available to advise you if they occur.

Can I take an emergency contraceptive pill with other medications?

Some medications can affect how well the emergency contraceptive pill works. Be sure to discuss any other medications you are taking with your Cincotta pharmacist. They will advise you on suitable treatment options.

When might I need to use an emergency contraceptive pill?

  • If you did not use contraception.

  • If the condom used broke or slipped off

  • If you are unsure if a condom was used

  • If you forgot to take your usual contraceptive pills

If any other circumstances are concerning you, your Cincotta Discount Chemist pharmacist is always available to advise and support you. Our pharmacies have consultation rooms and designated areas to discuss any health concerns or questions you may have privately.

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