Medication: The Facts on Prescription, Over-the-Counter, and Herbal Medications
Medications have many forms. When taken correctly, they can be lifesaving, but if misused or abused, their effects can be deadly. The sites featured in this guide can help you learn about medications by distinguishing between the different kinds, providing usage instructions and overviews of specific drugs, outlining ways to find help paying for medication, and more.
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Alcohol will decrease antibiotics’ effectiveness. People who take a group of psychiatric drugs called MAO inhibitors can’t eat aged cheese, chocolate, or bananas. For those who take several medications, or those who see multiple specialists simultaneously, it’s especially important to know what you’re taking and how it could affect you. Use the sites in this section to learn about the side effects of specific medications and supplements, how to take them properly, and where to learn more about what you are taking.
- The databases in this section provide a great deal of information about a medication, including what it treats, what its side effects are, whether people with certain conditions (illnesses or pregnancy, for example) can take it, and any other special instructions.
- Be sure to throw away any expired medication in your house, and do not take it. Chemicals break down over time, and a prescription that once helped you could now make you sick.
For information on specific drugs …
MedlinePlus
has a complete database of medications and herbal supplements. Search for your medication by name to learn what it’s prescribed for, how to use it, whether there are any dietary restrictions associated with it, and what its side effects are.
DrugDigest
is a page created by Express Scripts, Inc., a pharmacy benefit management company. Learn about a drug by plugging it into the search box on the left side of the page. Although the site is commercially sponsored, it doesn’t endorse a particular medication. Another page on this site allows you to
check drug interactions by selecting two medications from an extensive list.
The RxList
is an Internet drug index that is owned and operated by
WebMD. The site’s most useful features include the pill identifier, which helps you determine what medication you have by looking at its shape, its color, and a code on the side of the pill. An A–Z drug index has information about dosage, precautions, side effects, and instructions for many medications.
For herbal supplements …
The Cleveland Clinic
has a page that describes how supplements can interact with conditions or medications.
NCCAM
has a page on herbal supplements that explains what is considered a supplement and offers advice for taking them safely.
The American Academy of Family Physicians
has a question-and-answer page about herbal supplements. This site also has downloadable charts describing possible side effects and interactions; scroll down to find them.
The Dietary Supplements Labels Database
is run by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and NIH. It allows searches by brand name, active ingredient, or manufacturer. Search herbs, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids for links describing uses, adverse effects, general information, and mechanisms of action.
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