The WebMD Rx Guide for Patients: Prescription Drug Information 101
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| Drug Name and Description | Uses (Indications and Usage) | How To Use (Dosage and Administration) | Warnings | Contraindications | Precautions | Drug Interactions | Side Effects (Adverse Reactions) |
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Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, September 2005.
Drug Name and Description
You'll find three types of useful information in this section.
This category gives you the generic and brand names of a drug.
The generic name is the drug's chemical name. It's the same name as the drug's "active" ingredient -- the chemical that brings about the desired medical effect.
A brand name is the name created by the company making the drug. It usually is a more friendly sounding name than the generic name. In general, drugs are referred to by their brand names.
Some drugs on the U.S. market are sold only under their brand name. That's because patent laws generally give drug companies the exclusive right to make a drug for 20 years. When the patent runs out, other companies can make "generic" versions of the drug. Generic drugs have the same active ingredient as the original, but they're usually a lot cheaper to buy.
Sometimes patients get confused when both brand names and generic versions of drugs are sold. Say, for example, your doctor gave you a prescription for Mevacor, and your pharmacist gave you a bottle labeled "lovastatin." Lovastatin is the generic name of the drug. Mevacor is the brand name.
Many pharmacies will fill your prescription with a generic drug, if one is available, unless you or your doctor specifically asks for the brand-name drug.
A drug's formulation simply means what form the drug is made in, such as a pill, injection, spray, suppository, ointment, and so on. The same drug may come in many formulations.
Drugs come in a range of doses, often measured in milligrams. For example, the lowest dose might be 10 mg and the highest 80 mg, with other dose amounts in between.
For more, see How to Use.
Uses (Indications and Usage)
All drugs are made to treat or prevent a medical condition. This section lists medical conditions, such as flu or arthritis, for which the FDA has approved a drug. Approval is made after a series of studies -- called clinical trials -- show the drug is safe and effective for those conditions.
Many drugs are approved for just one or a narrow range of uses but are widely used for other purposes. These are called "off label" uses.
Doctors are allowed to prescribe drugs as they see fit, even for uses the FDA has not approved. Off-label uses are not listed in the information that comes with your medication. Drug companies are not allowed to include information on any off-label use of the drug.
How to Use (Dosage and Administration)
This section tells you how take the drug. When you get a prescription for a drug, your doctor determines which dose you need and how often you need to take it.
Drug doses aren't just for drugs in a pill "formulation." Other formulations also have specific doses. For example, asthma inhalers have their own specific doses.
Whether or not the medicine should be taken with food is usually listed in this section.
Dose amounts for some drugs are based on the age, size, or weight of the patient. Information specifically about children is often in this section.
Warnings
This section alerts patients to possible serious side effects or safety hazards associated with the drug.
The FDA sometimes orders a warning to be added after a drug is already on the market. That's because new information from clinical trials may indicate safety concerns. The warning is added once the FDA decides there is reasonable evidence of a link between the drug and a side effect.
Sometimes warnings are added years after a drug has been on the market. For example, a warning might be added that says a drug could have a link with birth defects. This warning might be added even if the research shows the drug caused birth defects in animals.
The warnings section contains information telling doctors and patients what to do in case of a serious side effect.
See also Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)
Contraindications
This big word simply means situations, such as medical conditions, that would mean the risks of taking this medication outweigh the benefits. This section of the labeling information explains why some people absolutely should not take the drug. For example, if you have an allergy to any ingredients in the drug, that would be considered a contraindication.
Many drugs are also contraindicated for pregnant women and people with illnesses such as liver and kidney disease.
Precautions
This important section may include general cautions about taking the drug or cautions about taking it in certain situations. This information includes situations that people need to be aware of but are not considered contraindications. For instance, a precaution would tell you if a drug might make you sleepy, or if the drug may be more likely to worsen certain medical conditions, such as glaucoma.
Sometimes different levels of risk for pregnancy are indicated. For example, a drug might be listed under the letters "A" through "D " -- with studies showing no risk for "A" drugs and clear evidence of risk to the human fetus with "D" drugs.
Another common precaution urges patients not to drive when taking certain drugs.
Read this information carefully, and bring up any questions you may have with your doctor.
Drug Interactions
Many people take more than one drug during the course of a day. They may also take vitamins, herbs, and other supplements. These combinations may have negative consequences.
This section gives specific information on how drugs interact. It explains whether the interaction could potentially make the drug work less well or become more potent, which could increase the chance of side effects.
Before you take any new medication, be sure to check the labeling information. Drug interaction information is generally listed here or in the abbreviated patient information brochure that accompanies a prescription from the pharmacist.
Some drugs interact with certain foods and alcohol as well. Information on these interactions is sometimes found in the Precautions section or the How to Use section.
Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)
All drugs have possible side effects.
But there is a difference between this section and the Warnings section. This section often includes a list of potential side effects, not just the very serious ones that are discussed in the warnings section.
You may notice a table showing side effects that researchers noted in patients who took part in clinical trials for the drug. For each side effect, the number or percentage of people who had the side effects while taking the drug is shown in one column, compared to the number of people who had the same effect while taking a placebo (a "fake" pill, not the drug being tested).
Side effects may also be listed here by how common they are. For example, side effects could be described as "most frequent," "less frequent," and "rarely." A statement is included of approximately how many people taking the drug may have reported those effects. For example, you may see comments such as "about one-third of patients," "less than one-tenth of patients," or "one in 1,000 patients," and so on.
Life-threatening side effects are always listed first, regardless of how common they are, and they may also be explained in the Warnings section. For example, life-threatening side effects may be described for pregnant women, elderly people, or people with heart disease.
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