Over The Counter,Prescription,
and
Herbal Drugs
OTC Drugs
Over The Counter Drugs are non prescription drugs that can be
OTC Drugs
bought and used with out a Doctor's permission or supervision.
Even though many of these drugs are bought to help eliminate
symptoms, some people miss use them and/abuse them. "Because
these drugs are usually available on demand, they arpercieved as being
exceptionally safe, and poorly understood by the general public,
their abuse patterns differ somewhat from those seen with the
so called hard-core drugs of abuse;nevertheless they can be
equally harmful (p.430)."
Types of OTC drugs
Internal Analgesics-Taken by mouth.
These drugs are Aspirin
like drugs.
Therapeutic Considerations-
The are drugs that are effective in
treating several common ailment
Caffeine and other Additives-
Relives the aversion of the aversion
of pain due to its stimulant effect
which may be perceived as pleasant
and energizing.
Cold, Allergy, And Cough Remedies-
Most of the population uses OTC drugs
to treat common colds.
Decongestants-
The cold and allergy products were used
are formulated with such drugs as decongestants,
antihistamines, analgesics, and an assortment
of other substances.
Antitussives-
Drugs that also relieve common colds
Often to treat coughing.
Other OTC drugs
Sleeping Aids
Antiacids and Anti heartburn
Diet aids
Skin Products
Acne Medications
Sun Products
Skin First Aid
OTC Herbal (Natural) Products
Over the counter Herbal medicines are very common and
over 5,000 brands are OTC herbal medications. "They are
unique because despite the presence of active ingredients
there is little or no Federal regulation due to a 1994 law,
supported by dietary supplement industry called the Dietary
Supplement Health and Education Act. This law requires
Supplement Health and Education Act. This law requires
the government to demonstrate that substances in herbal
products are harmful before such products can be
removed from the market. (p.445)"
Echinacea- Reduce Cold symptoms
Garlic-Inhibits production of cholesterol and reduces blood sugar
Ginkgo Biloba-Improves Memory
SAM-E- Helps regulate brain Transmitters such as dopamine
St. John Wort- Elevates mood
Ginseng- Increases energy
Saw Palmetto- Relieves discomforts associated with prostate glands
Glucosamine and Chondroitin-contributes to joint strength
Prescription Drugs
These are drugs that can only under the direction of a licenced health professionals.
"According to this pieces of legislation, drugs are controlled with prescriptions if they are habit- forming, not safe for self-medication, intended to treat aliments that require the supervision of a health professional, or, new and without an established safe track record (p 447)."
Common Categories of prescription Drugs
Analgesics- Narcotics and NSAID types
Antibiotics- Help treat infections
Antidepressants- help with people who have severe depression
Antidiabetic drugs
Antiulcer Drugs
Bronchodilators- Drugs that widen air passages
Cardiovascular Drugs
Antihypertensive Agents- help high blood pressure.
Antianginal Agents
Cholesterol- and Lipid Lowering Drugs
Hormone Related Drugs
Sedative Hypnotic Agents
Stimulants
Drugs to treat HIV
Generic: Official, nonpaented, non proprietary name of a drug
Proprietary: Brand or trademark name that is registered with the U.S patent Office
Treating Drug Dependence
People who become addicted to drugs often end up getting treatment
to help them get their life back together. Many of these people who
are addicted to drugs come from many different backgrounds
and have their individual issues. Some people suffer from occupational, social,
psychiatric, and other medical issues that can make their addictions tough to treat.
There are many different types of treatment programs to help with addictions. Some of these include, behavioral therapy and medication. "The most successful drug abuse treatment programs typically provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet the needs of individual abusers (p.565)."
Therapeutic Strategies
Medical Detoxification- process whereby individuals are systematically withdrawn from drugs, typically under the care of a physician.
Motivational Enhancement Therapy-Patient-centered counseling approach for promoting behavior change by assisting patients resolving ambivalence about engaging in treatment and discontinuing drug use.
Outpatient Treatment Programs- Many different services provided
Short-Term Residential Treatment-12 step method approach
Long-Term Residential Treatment Programs- provides 24 hours a day treatment care
Individualized Drug Counseling- focuses on reducing illicit drug use and any other issues with family.
Pharmacological Strategies
Methadone
Naloxone and Naltrezone
Buprenophine
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Reflection
is about OTC drugs. I didn't know that Herbal Drugs had their own category. I learned to read labels on all of the medicines and make sure that I take the proper dosage. This is to prevent miss use and abuse. Also I learned about different types of treatment programs that help treat drug abusers.
What did you find the most difficult about this course?
The most difficult part about the course were the quizzes. When I opened the quizzes I would get really bad anxiety which made me take a long time on them. I kept looking over my questions many times to make sure I chose the right answer. I didn't do bad on them, but they were my weakest grades!
What did you enjoy the most about this course?
I really enjoyed this course! I really enjoyed the journal entries because I can be creative with pictures and videos. I am a visual learner, so putting the visuals with the writing really helped me learn the information. Also I enjoyed the research paper! I liked that I was able to go out into the community and interview someone. The person I interviewed was really friendly and this helped me write my essay well!
If you feel that everything has gone well, what is it that helped you to achieve success?
To achieve my success, I set up a plan every week. I made sure that I made the deadlines by the end of the module. I also made sure my assignments are done well and follow directions. Everyday I would check ANGEL to see if there has been any changes and updates as well!
