Medical Assisting - Unit 5 Pharmacology

Tums

Generic Name: Calcium Carbonate

Trade Name: Tums

Classification of Medication: Antacid

Dosage/How supplied: Over-the-counter (OTC) tablets. Dosage varies according to the specific needs and age of the patient, but a common dosage for adults is 1 to 4 tablets taken 1 to 3 times daily.

Mechanism of Action/Indication: Tums work by neutralizing stomach acid. They are indicated for the relief of heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach.

Side Effects/Adverse Effects: Some common side effects include constipation and stomach cramps. Severe side effects are rare but could include allergic reactions and high calcium levels.

Drug Interaction/Contraindication: Tums can interact with certain medications, including digoxin, certain antibiotics, and iron supplements. It is contraindicated in patients with hypercalcemia or severe kidney disease.

Special Considerations: Tums should be taken with a full glass of water, and use should be discussed with a doctor if you have a history of kidney stones or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Maalox

Generic Name: Aluminum Hydroxide and Magnesium Hydroxide

Trade Name: Maalox

Classification of Medication: Antacid

Dosage/How Supplied: Over-the-counter (OTC) liquid or tablets. Typical dosage for adults is 10-20 ml or 1-2 tablets every 1-2 hours as needed.

Mechanism of Action/Indication: Maalox works by neutralizing stomach acid. It is used to relieve symptoms of indigestion, heartburn, and gastritis.

Side Effects/Adverse Effects: Some common side effects include constipation and diarrhea. More severe side effects are rare but include severe stomach pain, mood changes, muscle weakness, and slow heartbeat.

Drug Interaction/Contraindication: Maalox can interact with certain drugs, including certain antibiotics, iron supplements, and digoxin. It's contraindicated in severe kidney disease.

Special Considerations: Maalox should be taken with a full glass of water. It should be used with caution in patients with kidney problems or those on a low magnesium diet.

Pepcid

Generic Name: Famotidine

Classification of Medication: H2 blocker

Dosage/How Supplied: Over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription tablets, and injection. OTC dosage for adults is typically 10-20 mg taken 1-2 times daily.

Mechanism of Action/Indication: Pepcid works by reducing the amount of acid produced in the stomach. It's used to treat and prevent ulcers in the stomach and intestines and to treat conditions where the stomach produces too much acid, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Side Effects/Adverse Effects: Common side effects include headache, constipation, diarrhea, and dizziness. More serious side effects, though rare, can include irregular heartbeat, mood changes, and seizures.

Drug Interaction/Contraindication: Pepcid can interact with certain drugs like theophylline, warfarin, and phenytoin. It's contraindicated in individuals who have had an allergic reaction to it.

Special Considerations: Long-term use of Pepcid may make it harder for your body to absorb vitamin B-12, leading to a deficiency. It should be used with caution in patients with liver or kidney disease.

Zantac

Generic Name: Ranitidine

Trade Name: Zantac

Classification of Medication: H2 blocker

Dosage/How Supplied: Over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription tablets, injection. The usual adult dose is 150 mg twice daily or 300 mg once daily.

Mechanism of Action/Indication: Zantac works by reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces. It is used to treat and prevent ulcers in the stomach and intestines and to treat conditions in which the stomach produces too much acid.

Side Effects/Adverse Effects: Common side effects include headache, constipation, and diarrhea. Rare but severe side effects can include blurred vision, irregular heartbeat, and mood changes.

Drug Interaction/Contraindication: Zantac can interact with certain drugs like warfarin, theophylline, and procainamide. It's contraindicated in individuals who have had an allergic reaction to it.

Special Considerations: Zantac has recently been recalled in many countries due to the discovery of small amounts of a probable carcinogen. It should be used with caution in patients with kidney or liver disease.

Prevacid

Generic Name: Lansoprazole

Trade Name: Prevacid

Classification of Medication: Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI)

Dosage/How Supplied: Over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription capsules. Typical adult dosage for GERD is 15 mg per day for up to 8 weeks.

Mechanism of Action/Indication: Prevacid works by decreasing the amount of acid produced in the stomach. It's used to treat and prevent stomach and intestinal ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Side Effects/Adverse Effects: Common side effects include diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation. More serious side effects can include kidney problems, lupus, and vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Drug Interaction/Contraindication: Prevacid can interact with certain drugs like digoxin, methotrexate, and warfarin. It's contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to it.

Special Considerations: Use of Prevacid for a long period of time may cause stomach growths (fundic gland polyps), which are usually benign but could be serious.

Prilosec

Generic Name: Omeprazole

Trade Name: Prilosec

Classification of Medication: Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI)

Dosage/How Supplied: Over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription capsules, tablets, and packets for oral suspension. OTC dosage for adults is 20 mg once daily for 14 days.

Mechanism of Action/Indication: Prilosec works by reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces. It is used to treat symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), to promote healing of erosive esophagitis, and to treat or prevent ulcers.

Side Effects/Adverse Effects: Common side effects include headache, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and gas. More serious, but rare, side effects can include kidney problems, lupus, and vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Drug Interaction/Contraindication: Prilosec can interact with certain drugs like warfarin, digoxin, and methotrexate. It's contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to it.

Special Considerations: Long-term use may make it harder for your body to absorb vitamin B-12, leading to a deficiency.

Protonix

Generic Name: Pantoprazole

Trade Name: Protonix

Classification of Medication: Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI)

Dosage/How Supplied: Prescription only, comes in tablet and injection form. The typical adult oral dose for GERD is 40 mg once daily for up to 8 weeks.

Mechanism of Action/Indication: Protonix works by reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces. It's used to treat damage from GERD, a condition in which the stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, and to treat Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Side Effects/Adverse Effects: Common side effects include headache, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Serious but rare side effects can include weight loss, depression, and vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Drug Interaction/Contraindication: Protonix can interact with certain drugs like warfarin, digoxin, and ketoconazole. It's contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to it.

Special Considerations: Protonix can cause a false positive on drug screenings for THC (the active ingredient in cannabis).