Prescription & OTC Medications

Types of Medicines• Medicines are drugs that

are used to treat or prevent diseases or other conditions.

• Drugs are substances other than food that change the structure of the body or mind.

• All medicines are drugs, but not drugs are medicines.

• Drugs are effective in treating illness when taken as directed by a physician or according to the label instructions.

Types of Medicines• Medicines that treat or

prevent illness can be classified into four broad categories:– Medicines that help

prevent disease– Medicines that fight

pathogens (germs)– Medicines that relieve pain

or other symptoms– Medicines that manage

chronic conditions, help maintain or restore health, and regulate body systems

Preventing Disease1. Vaccines – a preparation

that prevents a person from contracting a disease.

• They contain weakened or dead pathogens that cause the disease.

• When injected into your body, the vaccine produces antibodies that fight those pathogens.

• Your body also produces memory cells that recall how to make these antibodies.

• Some vaccines provide you with long-lasting protection while others protection fades over time.

Preventing Disease2. Antitoxins – they help

neutralize the effects of toxins produced by certain bacteria.

• Antitoxins are usually produced by injecting animals with safe amounts of a specific toxin which stimulates the animals immune system to produce antibodies which are used to make an antitoxin.

Fighting Pathogens1. Antibiotics – a class of

drug that destroys disease-causing microorganisms called bacteria.

• They are effective only against bacteria and will not cure illnesses caused by viruses.

• They work by killing the harmful bacteria in the body, or by preventing bacteria from reproducing.

Fighting Pathogens• Some antibiotics

produce side effects; some cause allergic reactions; and they can lose their effectiveness due to the bacteria adapting to the drug use over time.

Fighting Pathogens• Bacteria can develop

resistance in two ways:i. When the antibiotic is

overusedii.When the patient doesn’t

finish the full prescription. If you do not finish taking the full prescription, you may not kill all the bacteria. The remaining bacteria may develop a resistance, or immunity, to the treatment.

Fighting Pathogens2. Antivirals – These drugs

are available to treat some viral illnesses.

• They suppress the virus, but do not kill it; the person will still have the virus in his or her body.

• As a result, the person often has symptom-free periods followed by flare-ups when symptoms reappear.

• Like bacteria, viruses can also develop a resistance to medications.

Fighting Pathogens3. Antifungals – these

drugs suppress or kill fungus cells, such as athlete’s foot and ringworm.

Relieving Pain• The most commonly

used medicines are analgesics.

• They are used to treat pain, reduce fever, and fight inflammation (redness, swelling, and pain).

• They range from mild medicines, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen to strong narcotics such as morphine and codeine

Children who take aspirin are at risk of developing Reye’s syndrome, a potentially life-threatening illness.

Managing Chronic Conditions• Some medicines are

used to treat chronic conditions.

• These medicines maintain or restore health and offer people with chronic disease a higher level of wellness.

Managing Chronic Conditions1. Allergy Medicines

a. Antihistimines reduce allergy symptoms by blocking the chemicals released by the immune system that cause allergic symptoms

b. Epinepherine is used by individuals who know they are allergic to substances that cause severe reactions (e.g., peanuts, bee stings)

Managing Chronic Conditions2. Body Regulating

Medicinesa. Insulin is used by people

with diabetes to regulate the amount of sugar in their blood.

b. Asthma sufferers may take medicines every day to control symptoms and prevent attacks.

c. Cardiovascular medicines are taken to regulate blood pressure, normalize irregular heartbeats, or regulate other functions of the cardiovascular system.

Managing Chronic Conditions3. Antidepressant and

Antipsychotic Medicines– These medicines can

help regulate brain chemistry, or stabilize moods.

Managing Chronic Conditions4. Cancer Treatment

Medicines• These medicines can

reduce rapid cell growth and help stop the spread of cancer cells.

• Because these medications can also destroy healthy cells, serious side effects may occur as part of the treatment.

Prescription vs OTC Medicines• Prescription medicines

are medicines that are dispensed only with the written approval of a licensed physician or nurse-practitioner.

• Over-the counter (OTC) medicines are medicines you can buy without a doctor’s prescription

Reactions to Medications1. Side effects are

reactions to medicines other than the one intended.

• Some side effects may be mild, but others may be more severe and can even cause death.

Reactions to Medications2. Medicine interactions

can occur when two or more medications are taken together, or when a medication is taken with certain food.

• The combination may have a different effect than when the medicine is taken alone.

Reactions to Medications• Types of medicine

interactions include:a. Additive interaction –

occurs when medicines work together in a positive way.

b. Synergistic effect – the interaction of two or more medicines that results in a greater effect than when each medicine is taken alone. One medicine increases the strength of the other

c. Antagonistic interaction – occurs when the effect of one medicine is canceled or reduced when taken with another medicine.

Reactions to Medications3. Tolerance is a condition

in which the body becomes used to the effects of a medicine.

• The body requires increasingly larger doses to produce the same effect.

• Sometimes a person will experience “reverse tolerance” where the body requires less medicine.

4. Withdrawal occurs when a person stops using a medicine on which he or she has become physiologically dependent.

• Symptoms of withdrawal can include– Nervousness– Insomnia– Severe headaches– Vomiting– Chills– Cramps

Medicine Misuse & Abuse• Medicine misuse

involves using a medicine in ways other than the intended use.– Failing to follow the

instructions on or in the package

– Giving a prescription medicine to a person for whom it was not prescribed, or taking another persons medicine

– Taking too much or too little medicine

– Taking a medicine for a longer or shorter period than prescribed or recommended.

– Discontinuing use of a medicine with out informing your health care provider

– Mixing medicines without the knowledge of your health care provider

Medicine Misuse & Abuse• Medicine misuse is

intentionally taking medications for nonmedical reasons.

• One danger of medicine misuse or abuse is drug overdose which is a strong, sometimes fatal reaction to taking a large amount of a drug.

Prescription Medicine Abuse

• Prescription medications are highly beneficial treatments for a variety of health conditions

• When abused – taken by someone other than the patient for whom it was prescribed, or taken in a manner or dosage other than what was prescribed – they can produce serious adverse health effects, including addiction.

Prescription Medicine Abuse

The following three classes of medications are most commonly abused:•Opioids•CNS depressants•Stimulants

Opioids

• Opioids are analgesic, or pain relieving medications.

• When properly managed (taken exactly as prescribed) they are safe and rarely cause addiction

Opioids

Common compounds of Opioids include:•Hydrocodone (Vicodin)•Oxycodone (OxyContin)•Morphine•Fentanyl•Codeine•Propoxyphene (Darvon)•Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)•Meperidine (Demerol)

Opioid Abuse• Opioid can be taken

orally, or the pills crushed and the powder snorted or injected.

• Snorting or injecting opioids results in the rapid release of the drug into the bloodstream, exposing the person to high doses and causing overdose reactions.

Opioid Abuse

Adverse effects of opioid abuse include:•Drowsiness•Constipation•Depress breathing•Death

Symptoms of withdrawal include:•Restlessness•Muscle & bone pain•Insomnia•Diarrhea•Vomiting•Cold flashes•Involuntary leg movements

CNS Depressants

CNS depressants (tranqilizers & sedatives) are medications that slow normal brain function.•They are often prescribed to treat anxiety disorders and sleep disorders

CNS Depressants

1. Barbiturates• Mebaral & Nembutal2. Benzodiazepines• Valium, Xanax, and

ProSom3. Newer sleep medication• Ambien, Sonata, and

Lunestra

CNS Depressant Abuse

• CNS depressants are usually taken orally, sometimes in combination with other drugs to counteract the effects of other licit or illicit drugs (e.g. stimulants)

CNS Depressant Abuse

• CNS depressants should not be combined with any medication that causes drowsiness, or with alcohol.

• If combined, they can slow both heart rate and respiration, which could be fatal.

Stimulants

Stimulants increase alertness, attention and energy. They also increase blood pressure and heart rate, constrict blood vessels, increase blood glucose, and open up the pathways of the respiratory system.

Stimulants

They are prescribed to treat asthma & other respiratory problems, obesity, neurological disorders, ADHD, narcolepsy, and depression.

Stimulants

The two classes of stimulants include:1.Amphetamines•Adderall, Dexedrine2. Methylphenidate•Concerta, Ritalin

Stimulant Abuse

• Stimulants can be taken orally, but some abusers crush the tablet, dissolve them in water, and then inject the mixture (complications can arise because insoluble fillers in the tablets can block small blood vessels)

Stimulant Abuse

Abuse can result in:• Irregular heartbeat• Dangerously high body

temperatures• Cardiovascular failure• Seizures• Hostility or paranoia

Dextromethorphan (DXM)

• DXM is the active ingredient found in OTC cough and cold medications.

• When taken in recommended doses, these medications are safe and effective.

DXM Abuse

• DXM is taken orally in excessive amounts.

• Effects include:• Impaired motor function• Numbness• Nausea/vomiting• Increased heart rate• Increased blood pressure• Brain hypoxia (lack of

oxygen to the brain)