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    Worst pills, best pills : a consumer's guide to avoiding drug-induced death or illness / Sidney M. Wolfe [and others].

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    • Title:Worst pills, best pills : a consumer's guide to avoiding drug-induced death or illness / Sidney M. Wolfe [and others].
    •    
    • Other Contributors/Collections:Wolfe, Sidney M.
    • Published/Created:New York : Pocket Books, 2005.

    • Holdings

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    • Library of Congress Subjects:Drugs--Popular works.
      Drugs--Side effects--Popular works.
      Drug interactions--Popular works.
      Geriatric pharmacology--Popular works.
    • Medical Subjects: Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
      Drug Interactions
    • Edition:[Fully rev. and expanded]. Pocket Books trade pbk. ed.
    • Description:xxxiii, 914 pages ; 24 cm
    • Summary:A consumer's guide to frequently prescribed medications offers information on dangerous drugs, hundreds of safer alternative medications, the two hundred most commonly prescribed pills, and new drugs on the market.
    • Notes:Includes bibliographical references (page 887) and index.
    • ISBN:0743492560 (pbk.)
      9780743492560 (pbk.)
    • Contents:Introduction
      How this book was compiled
      How to use this book
      Guide to the drug and supplement profiles
      Medical consultants
      1. Misprescribing and overprescribing of drugs
      Evidence of misprescribing and overprescribing
      The causes of misprescribing and overprescribing
      2. Adverse drug reactions
      How serious is the problem and how often and why does it occur?
      Nine reasons why older adults are more likely than younger adults to have adverse drug reactions
      3. Drug-induced diseases
      How extensive is the problem of specific adverse drug reactions?
      Specific patient examples of drug-induced diseases
      Which adverse effects can be caused by which drugs?
      Drugs that can affect the mind
      Drugs that can cause abnormal, involuntary movements
      Drugs that can disturb balance
      Drugs that can cause sexual dysfunction
      Drugs that can affect the gastrointestinal tract
      Drugs that can cause lung toxicity
      Drugs that can affect the urinary tract. 4. Drugs for heart conditions
      High blood pressure
      High blood pressure in pregnancy
      Leg swelling (edema) in pregnancy
      Nondrug treatment of high blood pressure
      When is drug treatment necessary?
      Which drug to use?
      Common adverse effects of high blood pressure drugs
      Stopping drug treatment
      Drugs used to treat high blood pressure
      Elevated cholesterol levels
      Nondrug lowering of cholesterol
      Cholesterol-lowering drugs for people 70 and older
      Cholesterol-lowering drugs and cancer
      When is drug treatment necessary?
      Potassium supplementation
      Who needs nondietary potassium supplementation?
      Who does not need it?
      Three ways to increase your potassium levels
      Drug profiles
      High blood pressure
      Thiazide diuretics
      Thiazide-like diuretics
      Loop diuretics
      Potassium-sparing diuretics
      Angiotensin receptor blockers
      Beta-blockers
      ACE inhibitors
      Calcium channel blockers, short-acting
      Calcium channel blockers, long-acting
      Alpha-blockers
      Other drugs for high blood pressure
      High cholesterol
      Fibrates
      Statins
      Other drugs for high cholesterol
      Abnormal heart rhythm
      Heart failure and angina
      Other heart drugs. 5. Mind drugs
      Sleeping pills and tranquilizers
      How often are these drugs prescribed?
      How much use is justified in view of the significant risks?
      What are the main risks of sleeping pills and tranquilizers?
      Reducing the risks from sleeping pills and tranquilizers?
      Which tranquilizers or sleeping pills should you use, if any?
      Antipsychotic drugs : another group of dangerously overused drugs
      Drugs that can cause psychoses (hallucinations) or delirium
      How ofter are antipsychotic drugs used in older adults?
      What are these antipsychotic drugs being prescribed for, in not for schizophrenia and other psychoses?
      Has federal regulation improved the use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes?
      Benefits and risks of antipsychotic drugs
      What are the main adverse effects of antipsychotic drugs?
      Depression : when are drugs called for and which ones should you use?
      Should everyone who is sad or depressed take antidepressants?
      Kinds of depression
      Other uses, usually inappropriate, for antidepressants
      What are the best and worst treatments for severe depression?
      The main risks of antidepressant drugs
      Drug profiles
      Depression
      Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
      Tricyclics
      Other drugs for depression
      Sleeping pills and tranquillizers
      Benzodiazepines
      Other sleeping pills and tranquilizers
      Schizophrenia
      Atypical antipsychotics
      Traditional or typical antipsychotics
      Mania. 6. Drugs for pain and arthritis
      Salicylates
      Aspirin
      Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
      Narcotics
      Use of narcotics
      Wanted and unwanted effects of narcotics
      Taking narcotics
      Arthritis and inflammation
      Rheumatoid arthritis
      Osteoarthritis
      Gout
      Infectious arthritis
      Drug profiles
      Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
      Salicylates
      Nonnarcotic painkillers
      Opiate-containing painkillers
      Barbiturates
      Arthritis and gout
      7. Drugs for cough, cold, allergy, and asthma
      Cough and cold
      Combination drugs for cold, cough, or allergy
      What is the common cold?
      How to treat a cold
      Sore throat
      Cough : a necessary evil
      Fever, headache, and muscle aches
      When to seek medical help
      Allergy and hay fever
      How to treat allergic symptoms
      Drugs for allergy
      Asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema
      Treatment
      Proper use of inhalers
      Drug profiles
      Cough, cold, and allergy
      Antihistamines
      Decongestants
      Cough suppressants
      Combination antihistamines, decongestants, and/or cough preparations
      Nasal steroids
      Asthma
      Beta agonists
      Xanthines
      Inhaled steroids
      Leukotriene inhibitors
      Chronic obstructive pulmonary (lung) disease. 8. Drugs for diabetes
      Diabetes prevention and treatment
      What is diabetes?
      Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 1)
      Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 2)
      Health care for diabetics
      Drug profiles
      Sulfonylureas
      Insulins
      Thiazolidinediones (glitazones)
      Biguanides
      Meglitinides
      9. Diet drugs
      No evidence that diet drugs work
      Drug profiles
      10. Oral contraceptives
      Pregnancy prevention
      Adverse effects
      Health benefits
      Drug profiles
      Second-generation oral contraceptives
      Third-generation oral contraceptives
      Other oral contraceptives
      11. Drugs for migraine headaches
      Treating migraine headaches
      Drug profiles
      Serotonin stimulators
      Other drugs for migraine headaches
      12. Thyroid replacement drugs
      Thyroid hormone
      Levothyroxine and the FDA
      T4 alone or combined with T3?
      Beware of doctors diagnosing "Wilson's syndrome" and compounding pharmacists
      Drug profiles
      13. Drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
      Diagnosis and treatment
      ADHD in adults
      Drug profiles
      Central nervous system stimulants
      14. Muscle relaxants
      Lack of effectiveness
      Drug profiles
      15. Drugs for enlarged prostate
      Benign prostatic hypertrophy
      Drug profiles
      Alpha-blockers
      5-alpha reductase inhibitors. 16. Eye drugs
      General instructions for application of eye drops and ointment
      Glaucoma
      Drug profiles
      Glaucoma
      Infection
      Inflammation
      Allergy
      Artificial tears
      17. Drugs for gastrointestinal disorders
      Ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
      Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
      Constipation
      Diarrhea
      Gas
      Drug profiles
      Ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
      Antacids
      Histamine2-blockers
      Proton pump inhibitors
      Prostaglandins
      Antibiotic-containing treatments
      Coating agents
      Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
      Nausea
      Constipation
      Diarrhea
      Other gastrointestinal drugs
      18. Drugs for osteoporosis
      The great failed hormone replacement experiment
      A safer approach : exercise, calcium, and vitamin D supplementation
      Drug profiles
      Bisphosphonates
      Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs)
      Hormones
      Parathyroid hormone
      19. Drugs for Alzheimer's disease
      Overview
      Drug profiles
      Cholinesterase inhibitors
      NMDA receptor inhibitors
      Ergot derivatives
      20. Drugs for erectile dysfunction
      Overview
      Drug profiles
      Phosphodiesterase inhibitors
      21. Drugs for urinary disorders
      Urinary system
      Drug profiles
      Anticholinergics
      Cholinergics
      Urinary tract analgesics. 22. Drugs for neurological disorders
      Drug profiles
      Parkinson's disease
      Epilepsy
      Spasticity
      23. Adrenal steroids
      What are adrenal steroids?
      Drug profiles
      Oral adrenal steroids
      Topical adrenal steroids
      24. Drugs for infections
      Antibiotics
      Widespread misprescribing of antibiotics
      Problems for misuse of antibiotics
      Avoiding unnecessary use of antibiotics
      The importance of completing a full course of therapy
      Newer versus older antibiotics
      Penicillins and cephalosporins
      Fluoroquinolones
      Tetracyclines
      Drug profiles
      Bacterial infection
      Penicillins
      Cephalosporins
      Macrolides
      Ketolides
      Tetracyclines
      Sulfonamides (sulfa drugs)
      Fluoroquinolones
      Other drugs for bacterial infection
      Tuberculosis
      Fungal infection
      Parasitic infection
      Viral infection
      25. Hormones
      Hormone replacement therapy
      How did the estrogen vogue begin and why did it continue?
      Drug profiles
      Estrogens
      Progestins
      Anti-estrogens
      Hormone combinations
      26. Drugs for smoking cessation
      You can quit smoking
      Drug profiles
      Nicotine products
      Other drugs for smoking cessation. 27. Vitamins and minerals
      Overview
      Causes of vitamin and mineral deficiencies
      Too few calories
      An unbalanced, low-quality diet
      Medical problems and drugs
      How to prevent and treat a vitamin or mineral deficiency
      Steps toward a better diet
      Who needs vitamin and mineral supplements?
      Taking vitamin and mineral supplements as "insurance"
      Guidelines for selecting vitamin and mineral supplements
      Recommended dietary allowances (RDA), what they really mean
      The myth of megadose
      Supplement profiles
      Vitamins
      Minerals
      28. Dietary and herbal supplements
      Growing use of dietary supplements
      Regulatory status of dietary supplements
      Assessing the effectiveness of dietary supplements
      How this chapter was compiled
      Supplement profiles
      29. Protecting yourself and your family from preventable drug-induced injury
      Communication : activating yourself and your doctor
      "Do not use" drugs
      "Do not use for seven years" drugs
      Ten rules for safer drug use
      what you can do : finding information about new drugs
      Reading package inserts
      Beware of patient information leaflets (PILs) routinely distributed by pharmacists
      30. Saving money when buying prescription drugs
      Five ways to save
      Glossary
      MedWatch from
      Index of drugs and dietary supplements
      Drug worksheet.
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