Types of Medicine
Types of medicine
There are a range of different medicines used to treat a wide range of health
conditions. Some are available over the counter (OTC) as well as being prescribed by
a doctor. These include medicines that can clear an ear or sinus infection, lower high
blood pressure aseancoverage, or help with chronic or long-term health conditions such as diabetes
and asthma. Others are used to prevent or manage disease, such as anticoagulants
and thrombolytics, that may be prescribed for patients who have recently had a
stroke or heart attack.
Some medicines are only available to buy in special places, such as a pharmacy.
These are called ‘pharmacy medicines’ and can include mild sleeping tablets,
stronger antihistamines and Viagra.
A medicine can be either generic or brand name, depending on the company that
makes it. Generics are usually cheaper and can be more readily covered by health
insurance. They are based on the same active ingredient as a brand-name drug, but
have not been branded by the original manufacturer.
Most types of medicine are in a form that can be taken orally, such as a tablet or pill.
These are coated with special polymers that prevent them from dissolving in the
stomach acid and enable them to be absorbed by the small intestine. They contain
an active ingredient and inactive substances that have the same effect as the active
ingredient.
They can be mixed with a liquid or swallowed whole. Liquids are less stable, so you
need to measure the dose precisely with a medicine-measuring spoon or syringe.
They are often more convenient for taking when you’re on the go, but can be less
effective than other forms of medicine because they don’t stay in the stomach as
long.
Other forms of medicine are topical treatments that enter the body directly through
the skin or injections, which are sometimes used to treat certain cancers. These
include antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid hormones.
Psychoactive or’mind-altering’ drugs act on the central nervous system, changing
brain functions and temporarily altering your consciousness. They can cause
euphoria or even depression, so it’s important to know how they work and what the
side effects are before you use them.
Opioids are natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic substances that act on opioid
receptors to produce pain relief. Taken in high doses they can cause respiratory
depression and death.
There are a wide range of other medicines, including vaccines to protect people
against infectious diseases. They often contain a small amount of an agent that
resembles the germ or germs that cause the infection and helps keep them from
causing harm to your health.
Vaccines also contain a small amount of an agent that primes your immune system
so it can’remember’ the germ and fight it off in the future. They can be given to
children, adolescents and adults.
Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are products that promote a
patient’s well-being, such as vitamins, minerals, herbs and aromatherapy. They are
available without a prescription and some may be used to treat or manage health
conditions that conventional medicine cannot.