For common minor symptoms and illnesses, over-the-counter medicines are available. Always follow the manufacturer's directions and warnings when using these products. If you have any questions, consult with your doctor before starting a new over-the-counter drug. All medications lose their effectiveness (expire) over time and eventually should be replaced. Check the expiration date before using any product.
Remember that storing medicines improperly shortens their "shelf life." Store medicines in a cool, dry area. The heat from kitchens and the moisture from bathrooms decrease the effectiveness of a medication. Store all medications out of reach of children. See: storing medicine safely
Do NOT give aspirin to children under 12. Consult your health care provider before giving aspirin, ibuprofen, or similar medicines to children. Pepto-Bismol contains aspirin-like salicylates, so talk with your doctor before using it in children.
Avoid combination cough and cold preparations in children under age 6 because they have sometimes caused over-sedation and death. Above all, be sure that the medications you use do not contain the same ingredients, which could lead to overdoses.
Women should consult their doctor before taking over-the-counter medicines while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Pain medications (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Medications for pain; Drugs for pain; Analgesics Pain medicines are also called analgesics. Every type of pain medicine has benefits and risks. Specific types of pain may respond better to one kind of medication than to another kind. What takes aw...Reviewer: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 06/08/2007
Storing medicine safely(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Medicine storage. Reviewer: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/17/2007
Drug allergies (11 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Drug allergies are a group of symptoms caused by allergic reaction to a drug (medication. Reviewer: Donald Accetta, MD, MPH, President, Allergy & Asthma Care, PC, Taunton, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 07/19/2007
Getting a prescription filled (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Prescriptions - how to fill; Medications - how to get prescription filled; Drugs - how to get prescription filled Once a prescription has been written by a health care provider, you may buy the medication from various sources. Factors that may aff...Reviewer: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 01/18/2007
Liquid medication administration(Doctor-Reviewed information)
If the medicine comes in suspension form, shake well before using.Do not use silverware spoons for giving medication. They are not all the same size. A silverware teaspoon could be as small as a half teaspoon or as large as 2 teaspoons.Measuring s...Reviewer: Deirdre OReilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/19/2007
Drug-induced diarrhea (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Drug-induced diarrhea is loose, watery stools caused by certain medications. See also: Diarrhea Reviewer: Christian Stone, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 05/27/2008
Drugs that may cause impotence(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Impotence caused by medications; Drug-induced erectile dysfunction Various medications and recreational drugs can have an affect on sexual arousal and sexual performance. It should be noted that what causes impotence in one man may not affect anot...Reviewer: David R. Knowles, M.D., Advanced Urologic Surgeons, Mt. Vernon, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 08/15/2006
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