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Aldactone: one of the names under which Spironolactone is marketed (also Novo-Spiroton®, Spiractin®, Spirotone®, or Berlactone®). It is a synthetic 17-lactone steroid which is a renal competitive aldosterone antagonist in a class of pharmaceuticals called potassium-sparing diuretics, used primarily to treat low-renin hypertension, hypokalemia, and Conn's syndrome. On its own, spironolactone is only a weak diuretic, but it can be combined with other diuretics.
(http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Aldactone)
Analgesic Medications: analgesics are a class of drugs which are used to relieve pain. Unlike the various NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and the Cox-2 inhibitors, which help relieve both pain and inflammation, analgesics only target pain. A doctor may prescribe one of the analgesics in addition to one of the NSAIDs, when a patient still needs extra pain relief. Examples of analgesics are Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Codeine.
(http://arthritis.about.com/od/analgesic/g/analgesic.htm)
Ancef: the injection form of cephalexin, is a semisynthetic cephalosporin antibiotic.
(http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/cefsod.htm)
Antibiotics: medicines that kill the bacteria that cause infections.
(http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/g2601/0000/2601000093/p1/article.jhtml)
Antihistamine: a drug which block the action of histamine, thus preventing or alleviating the major symptoms of an allergic response.
(www.hon.ch/Library/Theme/Allergy/Glossary/antihistamine.html)
Benadryl: an anti-allergy drug containing antihistamine, antiemetic and antispasmodic. Treats allergic diseases such as hay fever, allergic rhinitis, urticaria, angioedema, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, gastrointestinal allergy, pruritus, physical allergies, reactions to injection of contrast media, reactions to therapeutic preparations and allergic transfusion reactions; also postoperative nausea and vomiting, motion sickness, and quieting emotionally disturbed children.
(http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-b01.html)
Birth Control Pills: oral contraceptives are one of the most extensively studied medications in the US. The first birth control pill, Enovid, was introduced in 1960. Since then, over 45 brands have become available to women. Birth control pills have changed significantly since their introduction. Most importantly, the dosages of the pills have been markedy reduced. As the dosages have decreased, the side effects women experienced also decreased. Currently prescribed pills have approximately one-tenth the amount of medication used in the first pills of the 1960’s. Most BCP’s contain two hormones: estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are synthetic versions of naturally occurring female hormones. They work primarily by preventing ovulation.
(www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/sexual_health/ssc/bcps.htm)
Caffeine: one of the world's most widely used drugs. Some anthropologists believe its use may date back to the Stone Age. Pharmacologically, caffeine is one of a group of stimulants called methylxanthine, or xanthine, that occur naturally in some plants. Beverages made from the nuts, seeds or leaves of these plants are major sources of natural caffeine, such as coffee, made from the Coffea arabica plant; soft drinks, like Coca Cola, made from Kola nuts; and tea made from the leaves of Thea sinensis. Cocoa, used to make chocolate, contains caffeine as well as theobromine, another xanthine. Caffeine is also used as a food additive regulated by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food and beverage manufacturers are legally required to list caffeine on their products' label only when caffeine has been added. Caffeine naturally present in other ingredients used in the production process need not be on the label. For example, chocolate contains caffeine, so it may not be listed as an additive in candy bars. People who wish to avoid caffeine need to be aware of such natural, plant sources when making food choices. The FDA also regulates caffeine's use as a stimulant in some over-the-counter and prescription medications. Consumers will commonly see caffeine listed as an active ingredient in some stimulants, cold remedies, and various pain killers.
(http://spurious.biz/~pkremer/dev_zero/caffeine.html)
Chemotherapy: the use of chemical substances to treat disease. In its modern-day use, it refers primarily to cytotoxic drugs used to treat cancer.
(http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/chemotherapy)
Coumadin: a brand name of the generic "warfarin," an an anticoagulant medication that is administered orally or, very rarely, by injection. It is used for the prophylaxis of thrombosis and embolism in many disorders. Its activity has to be monitored by frequent blood testing for the international normalized ratio (INR). Warfarin is a synthetic derivative of coumarin, a chemical found naturally in many plants, notably woodruff (Galium odoratum, Rubiaceae), and at lower levels in licorice, lavender and various other species. Warfarin was originally developed as a rat poison, but it is no longer used for that purpose as modern poisons are much more potent and toxic (e.g. brodifacoum). However, warfarin and contemporary rodenticides belong to the same class of drugs (coumarins) and both decrease blood coagulation by interfering with vitamin K metabolism.
(http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Coumadin)
Darvon: the common name for "propoxyphene," a popular pain reliever that is a centrally acting narcotic analgesic. Commercially, darvon is usually combined with aspirin or some other simple pain killer in a single tablet or capsule. This drug, which is structurally similar to methadone, has been widely abused and is tightly controlled. Side effects can include physical addiction, confusion, convulsions, dizziness, low blood pressure, and weakness.
(http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/pharmaceuticals/pages/propoxyphene.html)
Decadron: a steroid that is administered both intravenously and orally. Decadron is used in a variety of situations in cancer patients, including anti-nausea, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer (for such cancers as Hodgkin's Disease and Multiple Myeloma). Side effects are the same as other steroids, the degree and severity depending on the dosage. Such side effets include stomach irritation, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and fluid retention.
(http://tirgan.com/decadron.htm)
Epinephrine: a drug that relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi and iris and is a physiologic antagonist of histamine. The drug also produces an increase in blood sugar and glycogenolysis in the liver. Intravenous injection produces an immediate and intensified response. Following intravenous injection epinephrine disappears rapidly from the blood stream. It is used to treat acute hypersensitivity, acute asthmatic attacks, and cardiac arrest.
(www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/epi.htm)
Estazolam: marketed under the brand names ProSom® and Eurodin®, it is a drug which is a benzodiazepine derivative. It possesses anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, sedative and skeletal muscle relaxant properties. It is commonly prescribed for the short-term treatment of insomnia.
(http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Estazolam)
Ether: used as an anesthetic that causes excellent muscle relaxation with minimal effect on blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration. It is irritating to the respiratory passages and produces nausea. Today, ether is rarely used. The use of flammable ether waned as nonflammable anesthetic agents such as halothane became available. Additionally, ether had many undesirable side effects, such as postanesthetic nausea and vomiting. Modern anesthetic agents, such as methyl propyl ether (Neothyl) and methoxyflurane (Penthrane) reduce these side effects.
(www.answers.com/topic/diethyl-ether?cat=health)
Gentamycin: an antibiotic, which belongs to the group of antibiotics known as Aminoglycosides. These types of antibiotics are effective against certain bacterial infections. Gentamicin is effective against gram negative infections. It works by killing the bacteria, through binding at a site on the bacterial ribosome. This causes the production of defective proteins, which are essential for the growth of the bacteria, eventually leading to the bacteria being killed. Gentamicin is used to fight many bacterial infections, such as that of the infection of outer ear canal, infections of the eye, infection of the blood etc. Like all aminoglycosides, when gentamycin is given orally, it is not effective. This is because it is absorbed from the small intestine, and then travels through the portal vein to the liver, where it is inactivated. Therefore, it can only be given intravenously, intramuscularly or topically.
(www.ch.ic.ac.uk/wiki/index.php/It:Gentamycin)
Keflex: an antibiotic intended for oral administration to reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of Keflex and other antibacterial drugs, keflex should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria.
(www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/cephalex.htm)
Lanoxin: a drug used to treat conditions such as congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (types of fast heartbeats).
(www.drugs.com/lanoxin.html)
Lidocaine: an antiarrhythmic drug commonly used to restore a regular heartbeat in patients with arrhythmia. This effect is produced both by delaying abnormal nerve pulses to the heart and reducing irritability of the heart tissue. Lidocaine is also used topically as a local anesthetic to produce numbness or loss of feeling before surgery or other painful procedures. Side effects include convulsions, anxiety, itching, and swelling.
(http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/pharmaceuticals/pages/lidocaine.html)
Morphine: a narcotic analgesic. In man, morphine produces a variety of effects including analgesia, sedation, changes in mood including euphoria and dysphoria, mental clouding, respiratory depression from reduced responsiveness of the brain stem respiratory centres to CO2, suppression of the cough reflex, constipation from decreased gastrointestinal activity, nausea and vomiting via stimulation of the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ), alterations of the endocrine and autonomic nervous system. Morphine is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract following oral administration.
(www.rxmed.com)
Novocain: a local anesthetic that is very useful in producing a loss of feeling immediately prior to surgery or dental procedures. The drug is applied through injection of a solution and is relatively short-acting. Due to the high rate of allergenic reactions observed by clinical use of Novocain, the drug has been largely replaced with similar pharmaceuticals (such as Lidocaine) having less potent side effects. There are a number of drugs closely related to Novocain that are also excellent anesthetics including Lidocaine, Propoxycaine, Tetracaine, Prilocaine and Etidocaine. Side effects include skin rash, hives, and itching.
(http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/pharmaceuticals/pages/novocain.html)
Penicillin: the first ß-lactam antibiotic, renders the synthesis of sensitive bacterial cell wall impossible and is thus bactericidal. Benzylpenicillin (penicillin G) is used parenterally; phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V) is not inactivated to the same degree in the stomach and is therefore used as an oral preparation.
(www.infomed.org/100drugs/penitoc.html)
Phenols: a colorless, crystalline solid that melts at about 41° C;, boils at 182° C;, and is soluble in ethanol and ether and somewhat soluble in water. An aromatic alcohol, it exhibits weak acidic properties and is corrosive and poisonous. Phenol is sometimes called carbolic acid, especially when in water solution. It reacts with strong bases to form salts called phenolates. Phenol is important in industry in the production of certain artificial resins, e.g., Bakelite, and in the synthesis of many drugs, dyes, weed killers, insecticides, and explosives (e.g., picric acid). It is the simplest member of a class of hydroxy benzene derivatives, all of which contain a hydroxyl group attached to a benzene ring; these compounds may be thought of as derivatives of phenol and generically are called phenols.
(http://columbia.thefreedictionary.com/phenol)
Steroids: a group of powerful compounds closely related to the male sex hormone testosterone. Current legitimate medical uses include treatment of certain kinds of anemia. Body builders, long-distance runners, cyclists and various other athletes who claim that steroids give them a competitive advantage and/or improve their physical appearance use these drugs illegally. The major effects of anabolic steroid use include liver tumors, jaundice, fluid retention, and high blood pressure. Additional side effects include the following: for men shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts; for women growth of facial hair, changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle, deepened voice; for adolescents growth halted prematurely through premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes.
(www.drugfree.org/Portal/drug_guide/Steroids)
Stool Softener: a medication that is used on a short-term basis to relieve constipation by people who should avoid straining during bowel movements because of heart conditions, hemorrhoids, and other problems. This medication soften stools, making them easier to pass. Stool softeners come as a capsule, tablet, liquid, and syrup to take by mouth. A stool softener usually is taken at bedtime.
(www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601113.html)
Sulfonamides: a group of drugs that includes those with and without antibiotic characteristics. Antibiotic sulfonamides were the first antibiotics used to treat infections, although today are used much less frequently given their common side effects. Common sulfa antibiotics include Septra®, Bactrim® and Pediazole®. The antibiotic sulfonamides are different structurally from the non-antibiotic sulfonamides, and appear to be much more likely to result in allergic reactions. Many of the sulfa non-antibiotics, therefore, do not cause problems in people with sulfa antibiotic allergy.
(http://allergies.about.com/od/medicationallergies/a/sulfa.htm)
Theophylline: a member of the methylxanthine group of chemicals. Caffeine was the first of this group to be found helpful to asthmatic humans but had some unpleasant side effects. Other derivatives were quickly produced in hope of minimizing side effects and maximizing the airway relaxant properties that are so helpful in airway disease. Theophylline is able to effect several actions which are helpful in a number of respiratory conditions. These beneficial effects are: increased contraction strength of the diaphragm, increased beat frequency of the respiratory cilia, dilation and relaxation of constricted airways
, and Central Nervous System stimulation.
(www.marvistavet.com/html/body_theophylline.html)
Urovac Vaccine: an immune-boosting vaginal suppository made from 10 heat-killed strains of common Urinary Tract Infection(UTI)-causing bacteria. In early trials, 55% of the women who received the vaccine plus booster doses remained free of recurrences at six months, compared to 22% who got a dummy vaccine or the vaccine without boosters. This vaccine is another form of treatment for UTI as bacterial strains are becoming resistant to many common antibiotics that are prescribed for such infections.
(http://adam.about.com/reports/000036_8.htm)
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