Procardia (Nifedipine)
Drug Uses
This drug is a calcium channel blocker. Calcium is involved in blood vessel contraction. By blocking calcium, nifedipine relaxes and widens the blood vessels. It is used to treat chest pain (angina). Ask your doctor or pharmacist about possible problems related to use of short-acting calcium channel blockers.
How Taken
Capsules should be swallowed whole with a full glass of water unless your doctor directs you otherwise. This medication must be taken as directed to prevent chest pain. It is not effective if taken only when chest pain occurs. Do not stop taking this medication suddenly without talking with your doctor. Chest pain can occur if the medication is stopped too fast. Your dose may need to be gradually decreased.
Drug Class and Mechanism
Procardia belongs to a class of medications called calcium channel blockers. These medications block the transport of calcium into the smooth muscle cells lining the coronary arteries and other arteries of the body. Since calcium is important in muscle contraction, blocking calcium transport relaxes artery muscles and dilates coronary arteries and other arteries of the body. By relaxing coronary arteries, procardia is useful in treating and preventing chest pain (angina) resulting from coronary artery spasm. Relaxing the muscles lining the arteries of the rest of the body lowers the blood pressure, which reduces the burden on the heart as it pumps blood to the body. Reducing heart burden lessens the heart muscle’s demand for oxygen, and further helps to prevent angina in patients with coronary artery disease. (more…)
Vasotec (Enalapril maleate)
Drug Uses
This drug belongs to a group of medications called ACE inhibitors. It is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and children. It works by relaxing blood vessels, causing them to widen. Lowering high blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart attacks and kidney problems. This medication is also used with other drugs (e.g., “water pills”/diuretics, digoxin) to treat congestive heart failure.
How Taken
Take this medication by mouth, usually once or twice a day; or as directed by your doctor. You may take this drug with or without food. Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to use it at the same time(s) each day. If you are taking this drug in the liquid suspension form, shake the bottle well before each use. Measure the dose out carefully. Do not take potassium supplements or salt substitutes containing potassium without talking to your doctor or pharmacist first. This medicine can raise your potassium levels, which rarely can cause serious side effects such as muscle weakness or very slow heartbeats. Tell your doctor immediately if these effects occur. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. For the treatment of high blood pressure, it may take several weeks before the full benefit of this drug occurs or several weeks to months when used for congestive heart failure. It is important to continue taking this medication even if you feelwell. Most people with high blood pressure do not feel sick. (more…)
Vytorin (ezetimibe/simvastatin)
Drug Uses
Vytorin is used for reducing total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides and for increasing HDL cholesterol.
How Taken
The recommended dose range of Vytorin is 10/10 mg to 10/80 mg, and it is administered once daily in the evening with or with out food. Therapy usually is initiated with 10/20 mg daily, but individuals who need more than a 55% reduction in LDL cholesterol can be started on 10/40 mg daily.
Drug Class and Mechanism
Vytorin is a combination of ezetimibe (Zetia) and simvastatin (Zocor) that is used for treating high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Vytorin reduces total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL or âbadâ) cholesterol while it increases high density lipoprotein (HDL or âgoodâ) cholesterol. The ezetimibe component of Vytorin lowers blood cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol, including dietary cholesterol, from the intestine. It does not affect the absorption of triglycerides. The simvastatin component of Vytorin belongs to a class of drugs called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, commonly called “statins.â Statins reduce cholesterol by blocking an enzyme in the liver (HMG-CoA reductase) that produces cholesterol. Statins lower total and LDL cholesterol in the blood as well as triglycerides. They also increase HDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is believed to be an important cause of coronary artery disease. Lowering LDL cholesterol levels slows and may even reverse coronary artery disease. Raising HDL cholesterol levels also may slow coronary artery disease. Vytorin was approved by the FDA in July, 2004. (more…)
Mexitil (Mexiletine)
Drug Uses
This medication is used to treat irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and maintain a normal heart rate.
How Taken
This medication should be taken with food, milk or an antacid to prevent stomach upset. Take this medication with a full glass (8 oz or 240 ml) of water unless your doctor directs you otherwise. Do not lie down for 30 minutes after taking this medication. This medication works best when there is a constant level of the drug in your body. To do this, take each dose exactly as prescribed at evenly spaced intervals throughout the day and night. Try to take each dose at the same time each day. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor. Some conditions may become worse when the drug is suddenly stopped. Get more information about Mexiletine (click on drug name) (more…)
Acomplia (Rimonabant)
Drug Uses
Acomplia is used complementary to diet and exercise to treat obese or overweight patients who suffer from Type 2 diabetes and abnormal levels of fat in the blood. It can also prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease.
How Taken
The usual dose is one 20 mg tablet to be taken once daily in the morning before breakfast. Swallow the tablet whole.
Drug Class and Mechanism
Acomplia works on the CB- 1 receptors which are present throughout the body. Acomplia helps in blocking out these receptors which in turn works on intake of food in an individual and curbs his appetite. Weight loss starts taking place as the food intake of an individual is decreased to quite an extent. It acts on the peripheral organs which play a very important part in lipid and glucose metabolism, including the liver, adipose tissue muscles and the gastrointestinal tract. (more…)
Aldactone (Spironolactone)
Drug Uses
This medicine is a potassium-sparing diuretic used to treat congestive heart failure or high blood pressure. It may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor.
How Taken
Follow the directions for using this medicine, provided by your doctor. This medicine may be taken with food if it upsets your stomach. This medicine may cause an increase in urine or in frequency of urination. To prevent this from affecting sleep: try not to take any dose later than 6 p.m. (more…)
Capoten (Captopril)
Drug Uses
Capoten can be used alone in treating high blood pressure. Its blood pressure lowering effect can be further enhanced by the addition of a diuretic (water pill) medication. Capozide is an example of a medication that combines the effect of capoten with a diuretic (water pill). By reducing resistance in the arteries, capoten can be useful in the treatment of congestive heart failure. In treating heart failure, capoten usually supplements conventional treatment, including a diuretic and digoxin (Lanoxin). After a heart attack, capoten has been found to be effective in improving functioning of the damaged heart. It is also used to treat kidney disease associated with diabetes.
How Taken
Capoten should be taken on an empty stomach one hour before meals. Do not take antacids containing aluminium or magnesium within 1 hour before or 2 hours after taking this medicine. (more…)
Cardizem (Diltiazem)
Drug Uses
Chest pain (angina) occurs because of insufficient oxygen, delivered to the heart muscles. Insufficient oxygen may be a result of coronary artery blockage or spasm, or because of physical exertion which increases heart oxygen demand in a patient with coronary artery narrowing. Cardizem is used for the treatment and prevention of angina, resulting from coronary artery spasm, as well as from exertion. Cardizem is also used in the treatment of high blood pressure. By slowing electrical conduction in the heart, cardizem has been used in treating abnormally fast heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation.
How Taken
Cardizem may be taken with or without food. Since cardizem is excreted by the kidney and metabolized by the liver, dosages may need to be lowered in patients with liver or kidney dysfunction. (more…)
Lozol (Indapamide)
Drug Uses
Lozol is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). It also is used to eliminate fluid when the body accumulates excess fluid, such as with edema and congestive heart failure.
How Taken
Lozol is taken as a single daily dose, generally in the morning before breakfast. It can be taken with or without food. Antacids have no effect on the activity of Lozol.
Drug Class and Mechanism
Lozol is a diuretic (water pill) that is primarily used for the treatment of high blood pressure. It works by preventing the kidney from reabsorbing (retaining in the body) salt and water that is destined to be eliminated in the urine. This results in increased urine output (diuresis). Lozol also is thought to reduce the salt in the smooth muscle of the walls of blood vessels. (The salt ultimately is eliminated in the urine.) The loss of salt from the muscle causes the muscle to relax, and the relaxation of the vessels results in reduced blood pressure. (more…)
Maxaquin
This medicine is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections.
Myambutol
Myambutol is used to treat tuberculosis, often in combination with other medications. Tuberculosis is a very serious infection and requires a combination of antibiotics to cure the infection.
Sarafem
This medicine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
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Geodon
Geodon is used to treat severe mental disorders.
Wellbutrin SR
Bupropion is an antidepressant medication that affects chemicals within the brain that nerves use to send messages to each other. These chemical messengers are called neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters that are released by nerves are taken up again by the nerves that release them for reuse. (This is referred to as reuptake.) Many experts believe that depression is caused by an imbalance among the amounts of neurotransmitters that are released. Bupropion is unrelated to other antidepress.
Prozac
Fluoxetine is in a new class of antidepressant medications that affects chemical messengers within the brain. These chemical messengers are called neurotransmitters. Many experts believe that an imbalance in these neurotransmitters is the cause of depression. Fluoxetine is believed to work by inhibiting the release or affects the action of serotonin. Fluoxetine does not have MAO activity.
Prednisone
Prednisone is an oral, synthetic (man-made) corticosteroid used for suppressing the immune system and inflammation. It has effects similar to other corticosteroids such as triamcinolone (Kenacort), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisolone (Prelone) and dexamethasone (Decadron). These synthetic corticosteroids mimic the action of cortisol (hydrocortisone), the naturally-occurring corticosteroid produced in the body by the adrenal glands. Corticosteroids have many effects on the body, but they
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Allegra
Fexofenadine is an oral, “second generation” antihistamine that is used to treat the signs and symptoms of allergy that are due to histamine. It is similar to the other second generation antihistamines loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec) and azelastine (Astelin). Histamine is a chemical that is responsible for many of the signs and symptoms of allergic reactions, for example, swelling of the lining of the nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Histamine is released from histamine-storing cell. Get more information about Allegra (click on drug name)
Aristocort
Aristocort is knowed as Triamcinolone acetonide is a synthetic (man-made) corticosteroid. It is administered either as an oral metered-dose inhaler for the treatment of asthma (Azmacort), as a topical preparation for the skin (Kenalog; Aristocort) or as a nasal spray (Nasacort AQ) or inhaler (Nasacort) for relieving symptoms of rhinitis. Corticosteroids are naturally occurring hormones that prevent or suppress inflammation and immune responses. When given by intranasal spray or inhaler, triamcinolone acetonide provid.
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Flovent
Flovent is a corticosteroid that works directly in the lungs to make breathing easier by reducing the swelling and inflammation of the airways. This medication must be used regularly to prevent the wheezing and shortness of breath, caused by asthma, bronchitis, or some types of emphysema.
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Zyrtec
Cetirizine is the fourth addition to a new generation of allergy medications called “non- sedating” antihistamines or histamine (H-1) receptor blockers. These new antihistamines are called non-sedating because they cause less sedation than their predecessors; however, cetirizine is more sedating than the other non-sedating antihistamines. Antihistamines block the effects of histamines. Histamines cause symptoms of allergy when released by allergic reactions in the body. Antihistamines …
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Singulair
Singulair is knowed as Montelukast is an oral leukotriene receptor antagonist for the treatment of asthma and seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever). Leukotrienes are a group of naturally occurring chemicals in the body that promote inflammation in asthma and seasonal allergic rhinitis and in other diseases in which inflammation is important (such as allergy). They are formed by cells, released, and then bound to other cells, and it is the binding to these other cells that stimulates the cells to promote inflammati.
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Tagamet
This medication blocks secretion of acid from the stomach. It is used to treat and prevent ulcers, to treat gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), and to treat conditions associated with excessive acid secretion.
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Prilosec
Prilosec is knowed as Omeprazole is in a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPI) which block the production of acid by the stomach. Other drugs in the same class include lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex), pantoprazole (Protonix), and esomeprazole (Nexium). Proton pump inhibitors are used for the treatment of conditions such as ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome which are all caused by stomach acid. Omeprazole, like other proton-pump inhibitors.
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Cytotec
This medication is used to prevent stomach ulcers while you take NSAIDs (e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen), especially if you are at risk for developing ulcers or have a history of ulcers. Cytotec helps to decrease your risk of serious ulcer complications such as bleeding.
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Nexium is knowed as Esomeprazole is in a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) which block the production of acid by the stomach. Other drugs in the same class include omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex) and pantoprazole (Protonix). Chemically, esomeprazole is very similar to omeprazole. Proton pump inhibitors are used for the treatment of conditions such as stomach and duodenal ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome which…
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Pepcid
Pepcid blocks the action of histamine on stomach cells, and reduces stomach acid production. Pepcid is useful in promoting the healing of stomach and duodenal ulcers and in reducing ulcer pain.
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Prevacid
Prevacid is knowed as Lansoprazole is in a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPI) which block the production of acid by the stomach. Other drugs in the same class include rabeprazole (Aciphex), omeprazole (Prilosec), pantoprazole (Protonix), and esomeprazole (Nexium). Proton pump inhibitors are used for the treatment of conditions such as ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome that are caused by stomach acid. Lansoprazole, like other proton-pump inhibitors, locks… Get more information about Prevacid (click on drug name)
