For Pharmacy Technicians

 Pharmacology is the study of how drugs interact with the body  Pharmaceutics is how we turn chemicals into drugs (drug design)  Both are complex fields that involve years of study & many subjects: chemistry, physics, calculus, biostatistics  These overviews of the top 200 drugs are intended only to provide a brief snapshot of the medications & their uses, side effects, & properties

1. NSAIDs = Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug 2. Controlled Substances 3. Narcotic Analgesics (Class II) 4. Muscle Relaxers 5. Miscellaneous Agents

 Brand NameGeneric Name  Celebrexcelecoxib  Motrin/Advilibuprofen  Mobicmeloxicam  Naprosynnaproxen  Relafennabumetone

 Used for mild to moderate pain  Reduce swelling  Some are antipyretics  Antipyretic = fever reducer  Cautions:  Take with food  Take with plenty of water  Do not take with aspirin

 Can cause severe stomach upset, heartburn  Share characteristics with aspirin  Caution with aspirin allergy  Can cause bleeding  Inhibit platelets from “sticking together” (clotting)  Stomach ulcers  Blood thinners (Coumadin)  FDA Medication Guide

 Darvocet = propoxyphene/acetaminophen  Vicodin/Lortab/Lorcet/Norco = hydrocodone/acetaminophen  Vicoprofen = hydrocodone/ibuprofen

 Used for moderate to severe pain  Do not reduce swelling  Cautions:  May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may intensify this effect.  Do not drive or operate machinery while taking.  Federal law prohibits transfer of this medication to anyone other than for whom it was prescribed.

 Work by preventing the body from feeling pain  Common side effects of controlled substances include:  Constipation  Stomach upset  Drowsiness  Respiratory depression

 Brand nameGeneric name  Demerolmeperidine  Duragesicfentanyl  Methadosemethadone  Oxycontinoxycodone extended release  Percocet/Tylox/Roxicet/Endocet oxycodone/acetaminophen

 Opiates  Class II  Used for SEVERE pain  Cautions:  May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may intensify this effect.  Do not operate machinery.  Federal law prohibits transfer of this medication to anyone other than for whom it was prescribed.

 Brand nameGeneric name  Flexerilcyclobenzaprine  Robaxinmethocarbamol  Somacarisoprodol

 Work to relax skeletal muscle  Ease pain & stiffness  Useful after injury  Cautions:  May cause dizziness or drowsiness.  Do not drink alcohol while taking this medication.

 Work in the Central Nervous System (CNS)  This also creates many of their side effects  Dizziness  Drowsiness  Most commonly used for short-term treatment

 Brand nameGeneric name  Lidodermlidocaine  Lyricapregabalin  Neurontingabapentin  Tylenolacetaminophen (APAP)  Ultramtramadol  Ultracettramadol/acetaminophen

 Lidoderm is a topical patch  Applied to the area of pain (back)  12 hours on/12 hours off  Caution:  External use only

 Lyrica is used for nerve pain & fibromyalgia  Caution:  May cause dizziness or drowsiness.  Neurontin is used for nerve pain  Caution:  May cause dizziness or drowsiness

 What medication is responsible for the most emergency room visits due to overdose?  acetaminophen

 Used for mild to moderate pain  Antipyretic  Fever reducer  Cautions:  Maximum daily dose currently 4 grams/day  (about 6 extra-strength tabs)  May cause liver damage with chronic (daily use), taking more than the recommended dose, or if you drink 3 or more alcoholic beverages a day

 Metabolized in liver  1/3 of OTC pain killer purchases are for APAP  Over 600 products contain APAP in some amount  #1 cause of drug overdose in the US

 Caution with combination products  Panel recommendations to the FDA:  Extra strength become RX only  Maximum daily dosage of APAP be reduced  Medications such as Vicodin & Percocet be banned from the market

 Ultram & Ultracet are used for moderate to severe pain  Non-narcotic alternative to morphine (useful in those with true allergy)  NOT controlled substances  Caution:  May cause dizziness or drowsiness. Alcohol may intensify this effect.