Nonprescription medications

Medical Economics Co., Physicians Desk Reference for Nonprescription Drugs, Van Nostrand Reiohold, New York, 1991. 

Avoid alcohol and nonprescription drug s unless their use has been approved by the primary health care provider. Hypertensive patients should be careful to avoid medications that increase blood pressure, such as over-the-counter drag s for appetite suppression and cold symptoms. 

I he gastrointestinal (GI) tract is subject to more diseases and disorders than any other system of the body. Some drugs used for GI disorders are available as nonprescription drug, thereby creating the potential problems of misuse and overuse of the drugp and the disguising of more serious medical problems. 

The clinician must identify potential reversible causes of heart failure exacerbations including prescription and nonprescription drug therapies, dietary indiscretions, and medication non-adherence. 

Obtain a thorough history of prescription, nonprescription, and herbal medication use. Is the patient taking any medications that can exacerbate HF ... 

Perform a thorough history of prescription, nonprescription, and alternative medications. 

Perform a thorough medication history (nonprescription, prescription, and natural drug products), food, and patient history to determine exacerbating factors. 

Assess the patient s medical history for pertinent drug allergies, tobacco use, and current prescription and nonprescription drug therapies. Determine if any of the medications could exacerbate IBD. If applicable, inquire about adherence or recent changes to the patient s current IBD drug regimen. 

Obtain a thorough medication use history, including present and past drugs prescription and nonprescription drugs the patient s self-assessment of response and side-effect problems use of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and illicit substances and use of herbal products and dietary supplements, as well as any allergies and adherence difficulties. 

Interview the patient and/or caregivers to obtain a complete medical history, which should include family medical history, current and past prescription and nonprescription medications, and dietary intake. Determine whether the patient is taking medication/supplements that could interfere with the therapy. 

Perform a thorough history of prescription and nonprescription medications. Are any of the patient s medications associated with ED or are they contraindicated with possible ED therapies ... 

Obtain a thorough medication history for prescription drug, nonprescription drug, and dietary supplement use. Determine if any of these products may be contributing to hyperuricemia. 

Review patient history to determine treatment regimens that have been used in the past, including nonprescription, prescription, and herbal medications. 

Obtain a history of prescription and nonprescription medication use, as well as allergies and drug intolerances, noting the severity of the reaction. 

Obtain a complete medication history, including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and natural product use, as well as allergies and adverse effects. 

A thorough patient medication history should be taken at the time of admission to document all recent medication use, including nonprescription medications and use of complementary or alternative medicines. Any drug allergies or intolerances also should be documented. 

Obtain a thorough patient medication history, both prescription and nonprescription, to prevent drug interactions with the current therapy the patient is receiving. 

Lifestyle modifications should be started initially and continued throughout the course of treatment. If symptoms are unrelieved with lifestyle modifications and nonprescription medications after 2 weeks, patient should seek medical attention. 

Patients taking abortive therapy should be monitored for frequency of use of prescription and nonprescription medications and for side effects of medications. 

St. John s wort, an herbal nonprescription medication containing hyperi-cum, may be effective for mild to moderate depression, but it is associated with several drug-drug interactions. Its potency, purity, and manufacture are not regulated by the FDA. As depression is a potentially life-threatening disease, all antidepressant treatments should be overseen by a trained healthcare professional. 

The patch is available as a prescription and nonprescription medication. Treatment of 8 weeks or less is as effective as longer treatments. The 16-and 24-hour patches have comparable efficacy. A new patch should be placed on a relatively hairless location each morning. 

Medication history should include all prescription and nonprescription medications as well as dietary supplements. 

PDR. 1998. Physicians desk reference For nonprescription drugs. 19th Edition. Montvale, NJ Medical Economics Company, 766. 

Nicotine Repiacement. These medications come in a wide variety of both prescription and nonprescription forms. They include patches applied to the skin, gum that is chewed, and even nasal sprays. They are used to treat or prevent the physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Ideally, nicotine replacement treatments are gradually tapered over a period of weeks to months. They are generally well tolerated but can cause significant nausea, particularly if a patient has not completely stopped smoking. Nicotine replacement is targeted to reduce cravings, but it is not very effective as monotherapy. 

Prescription drugs also were subject to control under the 1906 law. In fact, until 1953 there was no fixed legal boundary between prescription and nonprescription medications. Prescription medications received a lower priority, since food and patent medicine abuses were judged to be the more urgent problems. 

Sarah s history with nonprescription drugs was not shared by anyone else I interviewed, but her initial resistance to prescribed medications was very common. Also... 

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