Over-the-+Counter+Drugs,+Herbal+Products+and+Dietary+Suppliments

= St. John's Wort = ="St. John's Wort has been used for thousands of years, and is currently one of the top selling herbs in the United States . More prescriptions are written for St. John's Wort in Germany than many prescription drugs. The herb was once considered magical because the plant 's red sap resembles blood. Legend suggests that the herb got its name because the plant first "bled" red in the Middle Ages after St. John the Baptist was beheaded. Also, the flowers of this plant bloom around late June, coinciding with the feast of St. John. The term "wort " refers to any plant used for medicinal purposes." (www.Mentalhelp.com)=

= What is St. John's Wort? = =It is an herbal remedy which claims to treat anxiety and depression. There have been numerous studies done on St. John's Wort, which claim that this herbal remedy is more effective at treating depression than placebos. Overall, it is a good alternative to many anti-depressant prescription medications but taken in high doses, as one would commonly find, there are risks of drug interaction.=

= What is the recommended dose of St. John's Wort? = =For Adults, Mayo Clinic claims that 900-1,800 mg per day is the recommended dose. For children under 18 years old, 150-1,800mg per day is "tolerable". However, "There is not enough evidence to determine if St. John's wort is an effective treatment for depression in children younger than 18 years of age". (Interactions Between Herbal Medicines and Prescribed Drugs, 2009) (www.Mayoclinic.com)=

= Side Effects of St. john's Wort: = =In a review of 20 trials only mild side effects were noted. Some of the side effects that were noticed included sensitivity to light, stomach upset, fatigue, itching, insomnia, skin rash.=



If you ladies have a desire to start a family even though your man has cold feet, it is recommended that you take St. John's Wort because it reduces the effectiveness of your oral contraceptive.

== =For the men who are planning to be sexually active, = =St. John's Wort is NOT for you because = =it may cause erectile dysfunction. =

= Does this herbal remedy interact with any prescription drugs? = =St. John's Wort is also suspected to interact with Serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cause Serotonin Syndrome.= =It reduces the effectiveness of Cyclosproin( an immune-suppressing drug), Warfrin (used to treat blood clots), Digoxin (a heart medication). (www.hopkinsmedicine.org)=

=<span style="background-color: #000000; color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">__WARNING__: We know the thought of running to Wal-mart to stock up on this magical pill to get you through nursing school is currently running through your mind; however, we are NOT qualified professionals who can in any way, shape, or form recommend the use of this product to alleviate the stress and anxiety of nursing school. =

=<span style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Over-the-counter (OTC) Pain Relief Medications** =

PAIN and FEVER are the most common reasons why over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief medications are purchased.

There are 3 basic types of OTC pain relief medications:
 * NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
 * Ibuprofen (Advil andMotrin)
 * Naproxen Sodium (Aleve)
 * Acetaminophen
 * Tylenol
 * Salicylates
 * Aspirin (also considered a NSAIDs, but it has its unique properties and allows for its own category)

They all have the similar abilities to relieve pain and reduce fever and also have similar onset of action for pain relief, but differ in some aspects.

Dosages and Common Side Effects
 * Ibuprofen
 * for inflammatory diseases i.e. arthritis
 * for menstrual cramps
 * Acetaminophen
 * for fever, aches and pain
 * works just as well as aspirin without anti-inflammatory properties
 * Aspirin
 * ↓ risk of strokes and heart attacks (platelet aggregation)
 * various forms of arthritis
 * osteoarthritis
 * bursitis

30mg/kg 4 months to 9yr 325 – 650 mg/ kg > 12yr || 325-650mg/kg >12yr ||
 * || Healthy Adult || Children ||
 * Acetaminophen || 325-650mg || 10-15 mg/kg ≤1yr
 * Ibuprofen || 200-400mg || 5-10mg/kg 2 months to 11 yr ||
 * Aspirin || 325-650mg || 10-15mg/kg 2yr to 11yr


 * Ibuprofen
 * rash
 * ringing in the ear
 * headache
 * N/D
 * constipation
 * Acetaminophen
 * liver damage due to large doses
 * risk of stomach bleed due to chronic alcohol use
 * Aspirin
 * ringing in the ear
 * nausea
 * GI bleed
 * liver toxicity

Pregnancy <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px;">There are no adequate studies of Ibuprofen in pregnant women. As a result Ibuprofen is not recommended during pregnancy. Ibuprofen should be avoided in late pregnancy due to the risk of premature closure of the ductus arteriosus in the fetal heart. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px;"> Acetaminophen is used in all stages of pregnancy and also used for short-term treatment of fever and minor pain during pregnancy. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px;"> Aspirin is generally avoided during pregnancy because it may effect the fetus. Low aspirin doses have been safely used for the prevention of complications of pregnancy.

= ﻿What Is Your PSEUDOEPHEDRINE IQ? = = 1-What symptoms does pseudoephedrine treat? = =A. Constipation= =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">B. Pain and Fever = =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">C. Nasal congestion = =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">D. tinea cruris = = 2-Pseudoephedrine is readily available for purchase at any store selling cold medicine? = =True or False=

= 3-The recommended dose of pseudoephedrine for children under 4 is? = =A. 60mg= =B. 30mg= =C. 10mg= =D. There is no safe dose for children under the age of 4= = ﻿ = = 4-Breastfeeding women can use pseudoephedrine with no fear that it crosses into their breast milk? = =﻿True or False=

= ﻿5- Side effects of pseudoephedrine include all of the following except: = =A. Nervousness= =B. Restlessness= =C. Trouble sleeping= =D. Gout=

= 6.There are no s/s of overdose because it is impossible to overdose on cold medication .= =True or False﻿ ﻿ = ANSWERS =1- Pseudoephedrine is a nasal decongestant found in many cold medications. It constricts blood vessels in the nasal passage resulting in redistribution of local blood flow. This results in improved ventilation, drainage, and nasal stuffiness.=

=2- With the signing of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 pseudoephedrine products are kept behind the pharmacy counter, purchasable quantities are limited depending on which state you are purchasing in (usually no more than 3.6g/day with no more than 9g/month), and photo ID is required. Stores are required to keep personal information for up to 2 years.= (United States Government. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2006) Legal requirements for the sale and purchase of drug products containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine. retrieved on January 23, 2011 from []) =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">@http://www.righthealth.com/topic/Pseudoephedrine/Video = =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3- Children under the age of 4 should NOT use products containing pseudoephedrine. Children under 12 should not use long acting pseudoephedrine products. According to the Slone Survey Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, pseudoephedrine use was highest among children <2 years of age, there is no evidence that pseudoephedrine is effective for this age group, and there is no safe dosage leading to increased risks of toxicity. = =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Slone Survey reports that: = (Vernacchio, L., Kelly, J., Kaufman, D., & Mitchell, A. (2008) Pseudoephedrine use among US children, 1999 2006: Results from the Slone survey. //Pediatrics Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics//; 122; 129-1304. Retreived on January 23, 2011 from [|www.pediatrics.org])
 * =1 in 20 children took pseudoephedrine in a given week with 1 in 12 children under the age of 2=
 * =7.5% of children surveyed took >1 pseudoephedrine product in 1 week=
 * =1/4 of the pseudoephedrine products were used for >1 week and 1/10 of products were used for >1 month=

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4- Pseudoephedrine use in lactating women should be avoided. It is estimated that 0.5-0.7% of a single dose is excreted in breast milk and there is no safe dosage for children under 4 years of age. This medication should also be avoided during pregnancy. This is a category B2 drug with limited information on the effects on the fetus. = (Australian Government. Department of Health and Ageing Therapeutic Goods Administration (2005). Core pseudoephedrine product information. Retrieved on January 23, 2011 from www.**tga.gov.au**/npmeds/pi-​**pseudoephedrine**.rtf)

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5- The following are possible side effects of pseudoephedrine: = =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//More common// = =//Less common//= //Rare// - //more common with high doses// (Pseudoephedrine (n.d.) retrieved on February 2, 2011 from []) 6. Average doses are as follows =12+ 240mg/day regular and long lasting= =6-12 120mg/day regular, do not give long lasting= =4-6 60mg/day regular, do not give long lasting= =<4 DO NOT GIVE= =s/s of overdose are as follows:= (Pseudoephedrine (n.d.) retrieved on February 2, 2011 from [])
 * Nervousness
 * restlessness
 * trouble in sleeping
 * Difficult or painful urination
 * dizziness or light-headedness
 * fast or pounding heartbeat
 * headache
 * increased sweating
 * nausea or vomiting
 * trembling
 * unusual paleness
 * weakness
 * Convulsions (seizures)
 * hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
 * irregular or slow heartbeat
 * <span style="background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none; border-bottom: darkgreen 0.07em solid; color: darkgreen !important; font-size: 100% !important; font-weight: normal !important; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important;">shortness of breath or troubled breathing
 * Convulsions (seizures)
 * fast breathing
 * hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
 * increase in blood pressure
 * irregular heartbeat (continuing)
 * shortness of breath or troubled breathing (severe or continuing)
 * slow or fast heartbeat (severe or continuing)
 * unusual nervousness, restlessness, or excitement

THE EFFECTS ON ADULTS & THE ELDERLY POPULATION
== =Pseudoephedrine & its effects //**on adults & the** elderly population // !!! =
 * == Do not use this product with persons with severe hypertension, severe // coronary artery disease, // //glaucoma(Abnormally high pressure inside your eye) OR PROSTATIC HYPERTROPHY!!!// ==
 * **You may ask //WHY?????..........WELL LET'S SEE//**
 * **//Hypertension://** or high blood pressure is a condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is chronically elevated. This product works by shrinking blood vessels in the nasal passages. ** So, this = BAD RESULTS BC BLOOD VESSELS ARE SHRINKING IN SIZE WHICH CAUSES ELEVATED PRESSURE WITHIN THE VASCULAR SYSTEM **
 * //** ﻿Prostatic hypertrophy: **//The most common cause of blockage of the urethra in men is enlargement of the prostate. In males, the prostate gland partially surrounds the urethra. If the prostate becomes enlarged, which is common in older men, it presses on the urethra and can block it. The most common cause of prostate enlargement is benign prostatic hypertrophy (often called BPH), ** THEREFORE, MEN ARE UNABLE TO VOID AT REGULAR INTERVALS WHICH MAY RESULT IN TOXICITY OF DRUG. **
 * COMMON SIDE EFFECTS: RESTLESSNESS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, WEAKNESS AND HEADACHE**


 * REMEMBER: Caution is advised when using this drug in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to the effects of the drug. **
 * INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM **__ [|WWW.DRUGS.COM] __