Grapefruit and grapefruit juice are known to have interactions with many different drugs. In the intestinal wall, components in grapefruit called furanocoumarins inhibit a certain enzyme system, known as cytochrome P450 3A4. Suppression leads to significantly higher blood levels as less is presystematically cleared, greater bioavailability, and increased risk of potential adverse effects and toxicity. If you are taking a drug that is extensively metabolized, avoid grapefruit and its juice. Consult your doctor for a complete list of...
Psychotropic, or psychoactive drugs, alter your mood. Other names for these drugs are sedatives, tranquilizers, antipsychotics and antidepressants. They may make you less anxious or more alert, improve your ability to concentr...
The worst types of drugs are those that cause the most harm. Research conducted by D. Nutt and published in Lancet in 2007, classified drugs by three factors that together determine harm, namely physical harm to the user caused...
Medications are one of the most commonly used treatment modalities available to modern medicine. Diseases that were once though incurable are now treated and cured with drug regimens. The human immunodeficiency virus--the virus...
The physical and mental effects of designer drugs often prove unpredictable because the illegal manufacture of these substances commonly nets chemical mixtures. Different types of designer drugs have varying effects on users, d...
Medications are usually taken to correct a physical or psychiatric condition. Often, they correct an abnormality or imbalance in the body. Three common types of drugs include blood pressure medications, depression medications a...
There are many types of drugs used in medicine to treat the various diseases that people have. More than one type of medication can treat the same disease because different medications may treat a particular disease in a differ...
Histamine is the chief chemical that causes most of the symptoms of asthma and other allergic reactions. There are different types of antihistamine drugs that are used by physicians. Each type of drug can be used in patients re...
Cancer treatment is generally meant to extend life and prevent the deterioration of the quality of life. Chemotherapy is a typical form of cancer treatment that utilizes certain kinds of drugs to destroy cancer cells, notes Med...
Drug assistance programs provide a means for people to obtain necessary medications when they are otherwise unable to pay for them. These situations occur when a person cannot afford private health insurance or does not qualif...
A type of painkiller, opioid drugs interfere with normal brain activity, causing a reduction in pain. People require prescriptions to obtain opioids, though many of them have restrictions. For example, Kristi Monson, PharmD, an...
Bad drugs include illegal substances or those that are being illegally distributed. These drugs carry the potential for addiction and pose safety and legal concerns in society. They include cocaine, heroin and steroids.
They are highly addictive central nervous system stimulants. Speed drugs release excess amounts of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates brain cells to induce a feeling of euphoria, enhancement of mood, focus and wakef...
Many types of therapeutic drugs are used to treat the causes and symptoms associated with human illness. Administration of therapeutic drugs may be short- or long-term, depending on the indication for use. Nonsteriodal anti-inf...
Drugs of abuse can be generally classified according to the effect that the drugs exert on the user. According to the National Clearing House for Alcohol and Drug Information, the major types of abused drugs include depressants...
Designer drugs are synthetic versions of existing drugs and cause similar effects. Those who make designer drugs chemically aim to manufacture products with similar effects to controlled and illicit substances. These drugs have...
Cytotoxic drugs are powerful chemotherapy medications used to kill cancerous cells. Different types of cytotoxic drugs interfere with varying cellular activities to induce cell death, with most disrupting some aspect of cell re...
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, psychotropic medications are drugs used to treat mental disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity ...
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reports data on alcohol and illicit drug use. The most recent survey, published in 2008, states that approximately 22.2 ...
Many Americans routinely use prescription and over-the-counter drugs to treat an array of conditions. Commonly used types of drugs include pain relievers, antibiotics, blood pressure medicines, diabetes drugs and antidepressants.
The use of prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs to treat all types of disease processes is on the rise. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports an increase in the spending for prescription drugs in the United States...
Of these drugs, the most common type in all three locations is analgesics for pain control. Other top-ranking drug types include antidepressants, antihistamines and antiemetic agents.
Although there are many drugs on the market, available by prescription or as over-the-counter (OTC) medications, all drugs are classified into one of a variety of categories. Millions of OTC and prescription medicines are sold ...
For some people, though, weight management, an increase in exercise and a healthier diet are not enough; in these cases, medication may be necessary. Several types of drugs are used to fight cholesterol.
A narcotic is a natural or synthetic drug related to morphine, according to "Core Concepts in Pharmacology" by Norman Holland and Michael Adams. Narcotics are sometimes prescribed by physicians for pain, although the term narco...
According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, stimulant drugs increase blood pressure and heart rate, raise blood sugar, constrict blood vessels and increase breathing rate. Stimulants also increase alertness, attention...
Opiate drugs are extracted from poppies grown mostly in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Opium and its derivatives temporarily block pain. Drowsiness, abnormally contracted pupils and facial scratching are signs of opiate u...
Nearly every surgical procedure involves the administration of some type of anesthesia for pain relief and to keep patients relaxed and still during surgery. Forms of anesthesia range from local anesthesia, where just a small a...
In 2008, AIDS resulted in the deaths of 2 million people worldwide, according to a report published in December 2008 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Though there is no cure for AIDS, there are five groups of antiretrovi...
Your dentist may decide to pull out your teeth, or your surgeon may need to remove your appendix or gallbladder. If you're in labor you may need anesthetic medications to help you tolerate the pain to deliver a baby. Local, reg...
While it is most common with people with a history of congenital heart defects, some individuals may contract this condition through intravenous drug use or frequent infections such as dental abscesses. The most common symptoms...
