American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [817]
antitussives Suppress the area of the brain that controls coughing. Used in over-the-counter cough remedies to prevent coughing or to stop coughs caused by irritation that don’t produce phlegm (called dry coughs).
antivirals Interfere with a virus’s chemical processes or prevent a virus from entering cells. Used to treat infections caused by viruses or to provide temporary immunity from viral infections such as influenza.
B
barbiturates Sedatives. Depress brain activity. Used to relieve anxiety or induce sleep. Strictly regulated because they are highly addictive.
benzodiazepines Sedatives; muscle relaxants. Depress some brain activities, reducing feelings of restlessness, slowing mental activity, and relaxing muscles. Used to relieve anxiety or to induce sleep.
beta2 agonists Bronchodilators. Relax the smooth muscles of the airways, making breathing easier. Used to treat asthma.
beta blockers Antiangina drugs; antiarrhythmics; antihypertensives. Lower the oxygen needs of the heart by reducing the heart rate; also help maintain a regular heartbeat. Used to prevent migraine headaches and to treat palpitations, angina that results from exertion, high blood pressure, and tremors in people with anxiety.
beta-lactamase inhibitors Antibiotics. Inhibit the bacterial enzymes called beta lactamases that can destroy penicillins before they can kill bacteria. Used in combination with penicillin to treat bacterial infections.
birth-control pills See oral contraceptives.
bone-resorption inhibitors Decrease rate of bone loss and increase bone growth. Used to prevent and treat osteoporosis and bone loss from some types of bone cancer. Include alendronate, calcitonin, and risedronate.
bronchodilators Widen narrowed airways, increase air flow, and improve breathing. Used to treat chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. Most often administered as aerosol sprays but in an emergency (such as a severe asthma attack) may be given by injection. Include beta2 agonists.
C
calcium channel blockers Antiangina drugs; antiarrhythmics; antihypertensives. Widen narrowed blood vessels, decrease blood pressure, and reduce the heart’s workload by decreasing the movement of calcium through cell membranes. Used to treat high blood pressure, angina, and abnormal heart rhythms.
cardiac glycosides Antiarrhythmics. Used to improve the efficiency of the heart in congestive heart failure and to treat heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias).
cephalosporins Antibiotics. Kill bacteria or prevent their growth. Used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections or to prevent bacterial infections before, during, or after surgery.
combination drugs Contain two or more medications in a single dose.
contraceptives, oral See oral contraceptives.
corticosteroids Anti-inflammatories; hormone drugs. Imitate the actions of the natural corticosteroid hormones produced by the adrenal glands and suppress the immune system. Used to supplement or replace natural hormones in hormone therapy; to relieve inflammation associated with disorders such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, and hay fever; and to prevent the body from rejecting transplanted organs or tissues.
COX-2 inhibitors Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Block the action of an enzyme (COX-2) that produces inflammation; cause less stomach irritation than other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. Used to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and to relieve pain.
cytotoxics Anticancer drugs. Damage or kill abnormal cells.
D
decongestants Reduce swelling in the mucous membranes that line the nasal cavity. Used to relieve nasal congestion. Although most effective when taken as a nasal spray or nose drops, also can be taken orally as an ingredient in over-the-counter cold remedies. Large doses taken orally may increase heart rate and cause insomnia.
diuretics Antihypertensives. Remove excess fluid and sodium from the body and reduce tissue swelling by increasing