LETS EXPLAIN (DRUGS)
According to the CDC, health literacy is “how well someone can find, understand, and use information and services to help make health-related decisions and take action for themselves and others.” When you know better, you do better.
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WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT
Did you know that patients who don’t have a basic understanding of their health situations are more likely to be hospitalized. Simply knowing, on a basic level, what is going on can keep you out of the hospital. Lack of understanding leads to fear and non-compliance (not following instructions). With so many voices and “experts” confusing the space, here is a focused glossary of medications and drug types to help you understand your health a little better. The goal is to help ease anxiety and support confidence when it comes to taking prescribed medications and drug treatments.
For more information on the drugs discussed and more not listed, visit https://www.drugs.com/. See info on hundreds of medications, view pill identifiers, and even info on drugs for your pets.
Propofol
(aka “Diprivan®, Propoven®)
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A medication used to make patients sleepy or less aware during procedures (i.e surgery, colonoscopy, some radiology studies) or while on a breathing machine (i.e. ventilator, aka “Life Support)
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It is not a pain reliever
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In higher dosing can suppress your drive to breath
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A person trained to support your breathing and rescue you from low oxygen because of propofol’s effect on the your breathing should be immediately available when this drug is used
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The burn that patients may feel when it is injected is due to a preservative that keeps bacteria from growing in the medication
Fentanyl
(aka “Sublimaze®, Duragesic®, Fentanyl Transdermal System, Sublimaze®, Actiq®, Fentora®, Onsolis®, Ionsys®, Abstral®, Subsys®, Lazanda®)
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A medication used to treat severe pain. Can also be used for sedation or to make a patient less aware or conscious
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It is a potential narcotic that is 100 to 1000 times more potent than drugs in the same class such as heroine, morphine, and oxycodone.
It is also as addictive as other narcotic drugs.
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Used routinely during surgery and anesthesia
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Mostly used as an IV medications (injected into the bloodstream) but can be given orally, by nasal spray, and as a patch for absorptions thru the skin.
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It can slow or stop your breathing.
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Its effects are reversed by Narcan
Insulin
(aka “Humulin®, Humalog®, Levemir®, Lantus®, Novolog®, Toujeo®, Tresiba®)
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Is a hormone used to treat diabetes and high blood sugar when injected. It acts as the key for sugar to go into cells and provide energy or be stored for later use.
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Many different forms that vary in how fast they begin to work and how long they work
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It is naturally made by the pancreas in most people and secreted whenever you eat.
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Can be given under the skin using small needles or injected into the bloodstream through an IV
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Some insulin brands come from beef and pig pancreas. Other forms are created in a lab using human DNA as the blueprint.
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Poor health can make your body resistant to insulin.
Diuretics
aka Fluid pills or water pills
(“Hydrochlorothiazide, Lasix®, Triamterene, Spironolactone/Aldactone®, Bumex®)
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These medication cause the kidneys to remove more water and electrolytes than usual from the blood to decrease blood pressure, decrease swelling of the legs, take fluid off of the lungs
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Many different varieties that vary in what part of the kidney they work on
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Depending on the medication, electrolyte levels (sodium (salt), potassium, magnesium, calcium) can be effected because they cause the kidney to wash these electrolytes out
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Most drugs in the class will not work if your kidneys do not work
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Diuretics can be used in the treatment of liver disease, gland problems, and heart failure
ACE Inhibitors
(Lisinopril, Verapamil, Enalapril, Ramipril)
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Used to treat some kidney disease, heart failure, scleroderma, high blood pressure and migraines
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Should not be taken during pregnancy
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Is not as effective in patients of african descent for blood pressure treatment
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If you experience swelling of the tongue and lips when taking, STOP taking immediately and seek emergency medical attention
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The enzyme ACE inhibitors block is located in the lungs. Likely the cause of cough in some patients.
Glucophage
(Metformin®)
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For treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (a.k.a. diabetes). Lowers how much sugar is absorbed from intestines, decreasing how much glucose the liver makes and makes cell more sensitive to insulin (see information on insulin above)
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May stimulate ovulation in a premenopausal woman and may increase the risk of unintended pregnancy
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Used with diet AND exercise to control blood sugar levels
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NOT for the treatment in patients with with type 1 diabetes mellitus
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NOT for use if you have severe kidney disease. Can lead to lactic acidosis
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Use frequently in the treatment of diabetes during pregnancy (Gestational diabetes)
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If taking the extended release version (Glucophage XR), the shell of the pill is not absorbed by the body and may appear in stool
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May be prescribed Vitamin B12 when taking Glucophage or need your B12 levels checked routinely
Gabapentin
(Neurontin®)
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Used mostly to treat nerve pain, diabetic neuropathy (neuropathic pain), and chronic pain conditions
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Was originally developed to treat seizures. Used in treatment of restless leg syndrome
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Different brands of gabapentin are FDA approved for different conditions and are
non-interchangeable
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Some people have increased thoughts of suicidine when taking gabapentin. Report this to your doctor
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Can make you very sleepy, especially in older patients
Narcotics
(Oxycodone (Oxycontin)®, Morphine (MS Contin®), Fentanyl, Tramadol (Ultram®), Dilaudid® (Hydromorphone), Stadol, Opana®, Demerol,Methadone, Percocet®
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Drugs in this class are also called opiates, opioids, analgesics or opioid analgesics
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Used to treat moderate to severe pain (on a pain rating scale, pain between 5 - 10)
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Common side effects include constipation, sleepiness, itching, problems peeing, pinpoint pupils and nausea
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Can lead to addiction, even after a couple of doses. Should be taken only for a brief time (less than a week) and as your doctor prescribed
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More than 2,000,000 people in the U.S. have a substance misuse disorder involving prescription narcotics
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You can experience withdrawal symptoms if your stop taking narcotics suddenly. These symptoms look like the flu
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body aches,
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chills,
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diarrhea,
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headaches,
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high blood pressure,
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insomnia,
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irritability,
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runny nose
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Sweats
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75,673 people died in the 12-month period ending April 2021 in the U.S. because of an opioid overdose; many of these involved a prescription opioid analgesic
Beta-blockers
(Metoprolol(Toprol-XL®), Atenolol, Carvedilol (Coreg®), Bystolic®, Lopressor®)
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Decrease the work of the heart by slowing down your heart rate, making heart muscle relax more slowly, and making the heart pump less hard with each beat. This decreases how much oxygen the heart muscle needs and makes it less likely to be damaged from overwork.
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Can be used for blood pressure control, slowing down the heart when it’s in an abnormal rhythm(e.g. atrial fibrillation), help with chest pain (angina) when the heart muscle is being stressed
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Patients with lung issues such as COPD and bronchial constriction should be followed closely if they are placed on beta blockers
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Reduce the top number(systolic) of the blood pressure reading more than the bottom number(diastolic)
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It is dangerous to skip a dose of your beta blocker if you’ve taken for a long time. Skipping a dose or doses could cause your heart rate to go up to dangerously high levels. This could cause a heart attack
Aspirin
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Used for the treatment of pain related to arthritis, headache, fever, toothache, etc
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Works in a different way than Tylenol®(acetaminophen) or ibuprofen (Motrin®) for the treatment of pain
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Effects how well your blood clots. This is why it is used in stroke patients. Makes blood less “sticky” so you don’t clot as easily, but you bleed more easily.
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Used in pregnancy to help with the health of the placenta
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Can cause stomach upset, especially if the pill is has no coating or you have a sensitive stomach lining
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Should be avoided in children and teenagers. Concern for developing Reye’s Syndrome
Antiplatelet Meds
(Eliquis®, Plavix®, Brilinta®, Xarelto®)
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Like aspirin, these drugs keep platelets from sticking together. Platelets are components of blood that make blood clot
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Used to lower risk of stroke and heart attack caused by blood clots, the most common types of stroke and heart attack
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Patients with clots in other parts of the body (e.g. legs or lungs) may be put on these drugs
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Serious bleeding is a risk with these drugs. Be careful of injury and taking other medications that “thin” blood
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Should not be taken by pregnant women
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Used in patient with abnormal heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation
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Some reports of hair thinning with some drugs in this group
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If you have a stent(s) placed in a blood vessel, you will likely be placed on one of these drugs, at least for a short time
Statins
Atorvastatin(Lipitor®), simvastatin (Zocor®), lovastatin (Mevacor®), pravastatin (Pravachol®), rosuvastatin (Crestor®)
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Lowers your risk of heart attack, stroke, angina (a.k.a. chest pain)
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Helps with heart attack risk in those with type 2 diabetes with pre-existing heart disease
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Atorvastatin is preferred for patients with kidney disease
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Though generally very safe, these drugs can cause liver dysfunction or muscle breakdown or muscle pain
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Rarely they are associated with memory loss, forgetfulness, amnesia, memory impairment, and confusion. These symptoms usually resolve when you stop taking it.
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Interesting side effects include burping, sweating, and constipation
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Decrease how much cholesterol is floating around in your blood.