Dr. Alan Low, Pharmacist, Vancouver, BC

Dr. Alan Low

Dr. Alan Low

BSC (Pharm), PharmD, ACPR, FCSHP, CCD, RPh
Pharmacist
Vancouver, BC
Bio & Education  
NEW Treatments Methods  

Dr. Alan Low Bio

Dr. Alan Low, Pharmacist, Vancouver, British Columbia Alan Low is a registered pharmacist who also completed an accredited hospital pharmacy residency. He graduated with a doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Low has a wide range of experience in various sectors: direct patient care in hospitals and clinics, academics, research, health care consulting and pharmaceutical industry perspective. He has presented at local and international conferences and is a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Clinical Associate Professor in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science at the University of British Columbia and former Chief Operating Officer at Network Healthcare.

If you are looking for local services of a local Pharmacist or  treatment  in the office or hospital from a Pharmacist, contact a provider such as ( Dr. Alan Low ) to inquire if they are accepting patients or you need a referral.   Phone number to book an appointment (604) 261-0333 ( Dr. Alan Low ) is in good standing with the Canadian pharmacists Association

Keywords: Pharmacist, discusses Atrial Fibrillation, stroke prevention, Pharmacist, talks about the differences between Warfarin , Pharmacist, discusses how augmenting lifestyle , Asthma, COPD & Heart Failure, Pharmacy

 

Pharmacists are critical to the delivery of accessible, integrated health care in Canada. As our role expands, we're doing more for our patients than ever before.

The speaker in the video may have no association with ( Dr. Alan Low, Pharmacist Vancouver, BC ). 
( Dr. Alan Low, Pharmacist Vancouver, BC ), may talk about some of the conditions and some of the treatment options shown on the videos. Always talk with your local Pharmacist  about the information you learnt from the videos in regards to treatments and procedures the local Pharmacist  could  perform and if they would be appropriate for you. Remember good information is the corner stone to understanding your condition or disease from your local Pharmacist .

A local pharmacist educates patients on properly using and storing medication; potential side effects and preventing drug interactions with other medications. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease that has many causes including smoking and genetic factors. There are several types, including bronchitis and emphysema can often be treated by your local pharmasist. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is used to describe chronic lung diseases, including bronchitis, refractory (non-reversible asthma) and emphysema. COPD has many causes, including smoking and genetic factors. If you have COPD, it’s important to see your physician regularly, because the disease is characterized by flare-ups and remissions. In some cases, it affects patients silently, and it’s only later that it impacts their quality of life and leads to hospitalization or death.

Please contact ( Dr. Alan Low, Pharmacist Vancouver, BC ) to enquire if this health care provider is accepting new patients.

Education

Featured Recipes

Creamy Crescendo® Sweet Pointed Pepper Soup

Tomato Pepper Bolognese

Tomato Pepper Cucumber Salad

Tomato Tart
Adherence and Medications Video: The Importance of Taking Medications Correctly

Adherence and Medications Video: The Importance of Taking Medications Correctly ( 156 engaged.)

Open and print the educational action plan for conversation with your Healthcare provider.

Adherence and Medications Video: The Importance of Taking Medications Correctly

Medications and the Importance of Adherence ( 9 participated.)

How important do you think it is to take your medications as prescribed?

Questions
 
True
False
1

Up to 60% of patients with chronic conditions are poorly compliant with thier medications.

2

20-30% of prescriptions are never filled by patients.

3

Only 50% of patients ever take enough medication to achieve an optimal therapeutic effect.

4

Polypharmacy means going to a number of different pharmacies to fill prescriptions.

Explanation:

Polypharmacy means the management of multiple medications. For example, someone may take an arthritis medication, an antidepressant and a blood thinner.

5

Medication non-adherence leads to 100,000 preventable deaths each year.

Explanation:

Medication non-adherence leads to 125,000 preventable deaths each year.

Related Topics

Recent Health Talks Authored by Dr. Alan Low

  • Chicken Pox and Its Link To Shingles " Monica 51-years-old a new grandmother "
    34
    Chicken Pox and Its Link To Shingles " Monica 51-years-old a new grandmother "

    Monica is 51-years-old and recently became a new grandmother. She received a call from her son telling her that her new and only granddaughter, Jane, had developed red spots and has been diagnosed with chicken pox at 12 months old. Jane did not receive the chicken pox vaccine, and after contracting chicken pox will no longer need the vaccine. Monica is excited to visit with her granddaughter and wants to spend time with her and her family and has been planning for this trip for months. Monica does recall having the chicken pox when she was a young girl and remembers it was an awful experience. This situation has raised a number of questions for Monica about the chicken pox, shingles and the shingles vaccine.

    Monica can have a consultation with her pharmacist who can help answer some of her concerning questions. For example, should Monica visit her new granddaughter and what are the risks and concerns? Monica wants to understand what causes shingles, and how the chicken pox and shingles are connected. Would visiting Jane cause shingles? Should Monica receive the shingles vaccine?

    Along with answering questions, pharmacists in several provinces in Canada are authorized to give the shingles vaccine and can administer the chicken pox vaccine to children aged 5 and older (check with your local pharmacist in your own province for specific criteria and requirements). The assessment and administration in pharmacies has been more convenient for many people compared to seeing their family doctor.

Recent Health Talk Comments by Dr. Alan Low

  • 207

    Dr. Alan Low

    , posted in: Osteoporosis Treatment
    07 June 2023
    If we are looking at what's happening in our population, in Canada, 1 in 3 women will suffer an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime and it is only a little less in men at 1 in 5. Those who survive a hip fracture, 17% will go to a long-term care facility because they cannot return to living at home. The best thing to do is to discuss with your healthcare provider and identify your risk of fracture. If it is deemed to be high, you should take actions to reduce your risk, this may include ensuring an adequate calcium intake, vitamin D, regular weight-bearing exercise, and in higher risk situations or if you have had an osteoporotic fracture already, to begin prescription medications which help to preserve and strengthen bone to reduce the fracture risk.
    See the whole conversation: Osteoporosis Treatment
  • 34

    Dr. Alan Low

    , posted in: Chicken Pox and Its Link To Shingles " Monica 51-years-old a new grandmother "
    03 May 2018
    About 90% of people born before 1995 have had chicken pox, and about one-third of these people develop shingles when they are older, generally at ages over 50. Although there has been a shingles vaccine available for many years, the uptake of the vaccine has been low in those who need it, around 30% received the vaccine (depending on what area is being measured). A new vaccine was introduced earlier this year which showed a very high effectiveness rate in clinical trials. The new vaccine, called Shingrix, in a study evaluating over 15,000 subjects who were aged 50 and up, found the vaccine reduced the number of people developing shingles from about 91 people per 10,000 to 6 people per 10,000 which is over a 90% reduction in the incidence of shingles. Those over 50 may want to speak with their healthcare professional about being vaccinated against shingles and discuss the benefits and risks of the new vaccine. Your pharmacist, in most jurisdictions, can provide not only information, but also the injection without the need for a prescription from your physician. If you have health insurance benefits which may cover the vaccine, you may require a prescription.
    See the whole conversation: Chicken Pox and Its Link To Shingles " Monica 51-years-old a new grandmother "
  • 207

    Dr. Alan Low

    , posted in: Osteoporosis Treatment
    21 February 2017
    Thanks Dr. Miller for pointing out how pharmacists can be of help to people with osteoporosis or interested in prevention of fracture (who are not diagnosed) with osteoporosis. Besides helping with drug related concerns, pharmacists can assist in determining the need and best choice of over the counter supplements and vitamins. There are many different types of calcium and vitamin D on the market now. Depending on what patients are also taking with respect to medications and other conditions, a particular calcium salt may be preferred and would be absorbed better. People who do not take 1200mg of elemental calcium per day from their diet (usually requires multiple servings of dairy products daily and/or calcium fortified foods), a calcium supplement to provide sufficient calcium to the body to keep bones health and help minimize the risk of fractures is needed. Vitamin D is necessary to help the calcium get from the digestive system to the circulation and bones. With the current weather in winter, it may not always be possible to get enough sun exposure to produce the amount of Vitamin D needed and Vitamin D supplements are necessary. A reasonable approach is to take 800IU to 1000IU of Vitamin D all year round to ensure sufficient levels of Vitamin D in the body, speak to your pharmacist or dietician about these essential elements and what is right for you.
    See the whole conversation: Osteoporosis Treatment
  • 207

    Dr. Alan Low

    , posted in: Osteoporosis Treatment
    12 September 2016
    As mentioned, it is important to maintain a regular exercise program which is tailored to your abilities and needs. To help prevent fractures with osteoporosis, a person should optimize their stability to avoid falls. This can include exercise which strengthen the body as well as those which help improve balance. Ensure there is enough building block to allow the body to be stronger and improve balance also means that a good balanced diet should also be part of the care plan to prevent fractures due to osteoporosis. Speaking with your team of healthcare providers, identifying which ones can help with what aspect of prevention of fractures and treatment of osteoporosis is useful. For example, a dietician can assist with your diet, making a meal plan to ensure that you not only get enough of all the nutrients you need to help reduce the risk of fractures (eg. getting enough calcium in your diet as well as vitamin D from diet and/or sun exposure), but also enjoy what you eat. A physiotherapist or physical therapist can help with advice and recommendations on optimal exercises. A pharmacists can review your medications and osteoporosis treatment to ensure they are optimal and identify if any drug related concerns exist as well as help with any over the counter vitamin supplements to identify a calcium supplement (if it is needed) that is a good fit with your preferences and needs. Your physician can monitor your overall progress and regularly assess the improvement or progression of the condition over time. Alan Low
    See the whole conversation: Osteoporosis Treatment
  • 34

    Dr. Alan Low

    , posted in: Chicken Pox and Its Link To Shingles " Monica 51-years-old a new grandmother "
    16 December 2015
    Stress as been associated with the development of shingles, although the strength of the association is not strong, it could be just coincidental. Reducing stress is always a good thing and there are many approaches. There was a comment about wanting to know if there were vitamins which could help with reducing stress on the body, however, there are no reliable studies clearly demonstrating a direct benefit of vitamins and supplements to the body by reducing stress or making your body more "stress-proof". However, this assumes that your body has adequate levels of all the necessary nutrients and vitamins you require to maintain a normal homeostasis. One of the vitamins which have often been detected in the blood as being low is Vitamin D. This is sometimes called the "sunshine vitamin" because it is produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight. In certain parts of the world during winter months, there is insufficient exposure of the skin to sunlight by some people, especially those who are bedridden or in nursing homes, so that they may have low levels of Vitamin D. For those who are 50 years old and older can usually benefit from a Vitamin D supplement at a dose of 800 IU to 2000IU per day. Some experts recommend even higher dosages. Not that Vitamin D has been demonstrated to reduce the impact of stress on the body, but like any nutrient or vitamin, when there is a deficiency, the body is less able to cope with stress and illness. Maintaining a balanced diet and exercise program individualized to you is best, and sometimes requires the help of experts to help identify your individualized needs to ensure you maintain your health and productivity. If you do not have a balanced diet and your diet is deficient in certain vitamins, nutrients or minerals, then a supplementation of those may be necessary. Another example is if you do not normally consume 3 servings of dairy or more daily, you likely are not receiving your recommended intake of calcium and could benefit from a calcium supplement to maintain your bone strength and bone density to help prevent fractures and osteoporosis.
    See the whole conversation: Chicken Pox and Its Link To Shingles " Monica 51-years-old a new grandmother "

Ratings for Dr. Alan Low

  • 5
    Information
    5
    Education
    5
    Local Services
    5
    Action Plan
    Dr. Low explained the drugs I am taking. Learned how to get more out of my treatments by taking them right.
    Submitted: November 02, 2017
  • 5
    Information
    5
    Education
    5
    Local Services
    5
    Action Plan
    Dr. Low is able to explain very complicated medical information at a basic level which makes it easy to understand. He is very knowledgeable, yet easy to talk to and understand. His consultative services are second to none.
    Submitted: November 17, 2016
  • 5
    Information
    5
    Education
    5
    Local Services
    5
    Action Plan
    Excellent pharmacist who helped me with a RA injection last year. Very well informed and educated.
    Submitted: February 03, 2016
  • 5
    Information
    5
    Education
    5
    Local Services
    5
    Action Plan
    Dr. Alan Low is a very well informed Pharmacist in Vancouver and I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for information on drugs or chronic condition's like Osteoporosis
    Submitted: January 15, 2016

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