What's In My Medicine Cabinet Exam 1

What is Self-Care?

The ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without help from a healthcare professional.

What are the 7 Pillars of Healthcare?

1. Knowledge and Health Literacy

2. Mental Wellbeing

3. Physical Activity

4. Healthy Eating

5. Risk Avoidance

6. Good Hygiene

7. Rational use of products and services

What is Knowledge and Health Literacy?

Peoples’ ability to find, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make informed health decisions

What is mental well-being (self-awareness)?

Knowing one’s own health situation and having the ability to take action to improve the situation based on knowledge and awareness.

What is physical activity

Practicing moderate intensity exercise. Such as walking, biking, or playing sports

What is healthy eating

Consuming nutritious, balanced diet with appropriate level of caloric intake

What is risk avoidance or mitigation

Abstaining from tobacco and alcohol, getting vaccinated, using safe sex practices, using sunscreen, wearing seatbelts, helmets, etc

What is Good Hygiene

Regular handwashing, brushing teeth, washing food before eating

What is Rational use of Products and Services

Knowing dangers and only using products responsibly when necessary

What conditions of Pain/ Fever can be treated by OTC medications or self remedies

• Headache

• Musculoskeletal Pain

• Fever

What conditions of Gastrointestinal (GI) can be self-treated with OTC medications or self remedies

• Heartburn

• Diarrhea

• Constipation

• Gas

• Nausea and Vomiting

• Hemorrhoids

What conditions of Respiratory can be self-treated with OTC medications or self remedies

• Cough/Cold

• Allergy

What conditions of Eye, Ears, and Mouth can be self-treated using OTC medications or self-remedies

• Dry eyes

• Allergic Conjunctivitis

• Dry Mouth

• Ear Wax

What conditions of the skin can be self-treated using OTC medications or self-remedies

• 
  

• Acne

• Dry skin and Eczema

• Dandruff

• Lice

• Warts

• Contact/Allergic Dermatitis

• Athlete’s Foot

What other conditions can be self-treated with OTC medications and self-remedies

• Vaginal Yeast Infection

• Weight Loss

• First Aid

• Vitamins and Minerals

• Herbals

Who can someone ask when seeking self-care advice

• Parent, grandparents, and other relatives

• Neighbors, Friends, or Roommates

• Doctors. pharmacists, nurses

What kind of resources are there for people to find information on self-care

• Medical websites or apps

• Social Media

  • Youtube, Facebook, X, TikTok

• Online blogs or chat forums

• AI, such as ChatGPT

• TV Commercials

• Books, magazines, newspapers

• Drug Facts Labels

What are some reliable online medical resources for self-care information

• Medline Plus

  • Created by the National Institutes of Health

  • Patient-friendly drug facts

  • Various Health Topics

• Mayo Clinic

• Cleveland Clinic

• WebMD

• Health In Hand

What are the most expensive types of care

Secondary/ Tertiary Care (Hospital Costs), Primary Care (GP/medical professional costs)

What is the least expensive type of care

Self care

How much money does OTC’s save the U.S Healthcare system annually

$167.1 billion

How much money is saved each year in clinical cost savings

$110.3 billion dollars saved (doctor’s office visits and diagnostic tests avoided)

How much money is saved in drug costs each year because of OTCs

$56.8 billion (OTCs are lower priced in comparison to prescription drugs

For every $1 spent on OTCs how much money does the Healthcare system save

$7.33

How are Prescription Medications (Rx) regulated as

Medicine

What are the requirements for new drugs to be considered prescription medications (Rx)

• FDA sees new drugs as unsafe until proven safe via clinical trials

• Intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent disease

How are Over-the-counter (OTC) medications regulated as

Medicine

What are the requirements for a drug to have OTC status

• FDA sees drugs as unsafe until proven safe

• Must be intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent disease

• Must be able to:

  • Self-diagnose

  • Self-treat

  • Self-manage

What are dietary supplements regulated as

Food

What are the requirements for a dietary supplement to be labeled as food?

• FDA considers safe until proven unsafe

• Not required to test new ingredients/supplements in clinical trials

• Intended to supplement diet

When can a drug be considered OTC?

• Does not require access to health care provider for safe and effective use

• Low potential for abuse

• Individual can self-diagnose condition

• Adequately labeled

In the past 60+ years, the most common path for new drugs to become available as OTC is by ___ to ____ switches

Rx to OTC

_____ and Health care professionals can ______ report serious problems related to medications, medical devices, dietary supplements or cosmetics to the ______ program

Consumers, voluntarily, FDA Medwatch

What could be grounds for reporting OTC drugs?

adverse reactions, quality issues, therapeutic failures, or errors related to use

Where should you look for alerts regarding OTC safety

FDA website

When did the FDA require the use of Drug Facts labels on OTCs

2002

What are the sections of OTC Drug Facts Label

• Active Ingredients and purpose

• Uses: indications for which someone may want to use the drug for

• Warnings: includes side effects or other precautions

• Directions: includes proper dosage based on age or weight

• Other information: includes storage

• Inactive ingredients: include dyes, tablet/capsule fillers, etc.

What are some ways that brand name and generic medicines may differ.

• Appearance

• Flavor

• Fillers or inactive ingredients

• Marketing/packaging

• 
  

What disease do Mosquitos in the United States most likely carry

West Nile Virus

What disease are mosquitos most likely to carry or spread

Malaria, Zika, Yellow Fever

What disease are ticks most likely to carry or spread

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Alpha-gal syndrome, Lyme disease, STARI

What disease are chiggers most likely to spread or carry

Not known to spread disease

What disease are fleas most likely to spread or carry

typhus

What disease are bed bugs most likely to spread or carry

not known to spread disease

What are some symptoms of tickborne infections

fever, chills, body aches, rash

What is the type of rash that is common in Lyme disease and STARI

bullseye rash

What is alpha gal syndrom

Alpha-gal syndrome is the result of an allergy to animal products (red meat and dairy) after a bite from a lone star tick

What kind of clothing should you wear to avoid mosquito bites

• Long sleeved shirts and long pants

• Mosquito nets

What kind of areas should you avoid to prevent tick bites

Avoid wooded brushy

What kind of clothing should you wear to avoid tick bites

Long pants, long sleeves, hats

Does insect repellent help avoid tick bites

Yes

What should your buy for your bed in order to prevent bed bugs

Protective mattress and pillow covers

What should you do to your bedding and clothing when living in high temperatures to avoid bed bugs

Wash and dry

What color clothing should you wear to avoid stinging insects

Light colored clothing

What should you avoide wearing to prevent stinging insect stings

Perfumes and scented lotions

Where should you place mosquito nets?

Strollers and on doors/windows

What should you empty to avoid mosquitoes

Empty items containing standing water

Where should you check for ticks after being outdoors

clothes, pets, and gear after returning from wooded areas. Also check ears, hair, under arms, waist, inside belly button, bewteen legs, and back of knees

What should you do right when you get home from being outdoors to avoid ticks

Shower

Where should you vacuum to avoid bed bugs

vacuum carpet in sleeping areas

If needed, what treatment should you do to avoid bed bugs

Pesticide treatment if needed but resistance may be developed

What is something that may anger bees

Sweat

What may attract stinging insects

flowering plants and food outdoors

Where should you not use insect repellent

under clothing, near eyes and mouth, and sparingly around ears

Where should you not spray insect repellent directly

Face. Spray on hands first then apply to face

When should you never use insect repellent

Over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin

Where should you not spray insect repellent

enclosed areas or near food

What DEET concentration is recommended for adults

10-35%

What DEET concentration is safe for children

30% or less

What age should children not use DEET products

2 months and under

What DEET concentration is useful for tick prevention

at least 20%

What DEET concentration has no additional protection

50% but may have longer effects

What are the steps of Tick Removal

• Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to skin as possible

• Pull tick upward from skin steadily. do not twist or jerk as it can break off the mouth

• Dispose of live tick by placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrap tightly in tape, put in alcohol, flush down toilet

  • Never crush tick with fingers

• After removing, thoroughly clean bit area and hands with soap and water, or rubbing alcohol

How should you deal with insect stingers

• Remove stinger immediately

  • do not use tweezers, squeeze, or rub stinger

    • It will release more venom

  • Scrape with fingernail or credit card

What does avoidance mean in context of allergic skin reaction prevention?

Know what the plants look like

ie: “leaves of three let them be”

What kind of clothes should you wear to avoid allergic skin reactions from plants

Long pants, long sleeves, socks, closed toe shoes in wooded or brushy areas

What kind of hand protection is recommended when pulling weeds

Gloves

What should you clean after being exposed to poison ivy

Tools, pets, and clothes

What kind of cream is recommended if exposure to poisonous plants is expected and clothing does not cover skin

Barrier creams (create protective barrier between skin and plant oils)

Why should you be careful when burning brush or weeds

inhaling the plant oils/smoke can cause allergic reactions in the lungs

Aside from poisonous plants, what are other substances that can cause allergic or contact skin reactions

latex, benzocaine, nickel sulfate, neomycin, topical diphenhydramine (benadryl cream)

What is the oil in plants like poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac called

Urushiol

What should you do when skin is exposed to urushiol

Wash skin ASAP with soap and water, poison ivy washes can be used as well

What kind of bath can sooth itchy skin

Oatmeal baths

What is one warning that comes with oatmeal bathes

Makes bathtub slippery

How long should cool compresses be applied to itchy skin

15-30 minutes several times a day

What does Domeboro or Burow’s solution do

Cools and dries skin, decreases inflammation and itching

What do skin protectants like calamine and zinc oxide do

dry blisters and reduce inflammation/itching

What does hydrocortisone (topical steroid) do

reduces swelling and itching

What is the most effective OTC medication for treating allergic skin reactions

Hydrocortisone topical steroids

What do topical anesthetics like pramoxine, benzyl alcohol, lidocaine, benzocaine, dibucaine, and phenol do

numb skin

What is a potential side effect of topical anesthetics

allergic reaction or increased sensitivity

What do counterirritants like menthol and camphor do

provide a cooling sensation to relieve itching

What is a warning that comes with counterirritants

If ingested they can be poisonous

What do antihistamines like diphenhydramin/benadryl do

relieve itching and can help with sleep

What should you not do with topical antihistamines

apply on large areas of the body, especially on children

You should see medical treatment when a rash covers this much of the body

10-20%

You should seek medical attention if the rash is on ___ or ___

face or genitals

You should seek medical attention if a rash has not improved after _____ days

7

You should seek medical attention if a child less than _____ years old has a rash

2 years old or less