American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [829]
ranitidine Antihistamine; H2 (histamine) blocker. Reduces the amount of acid produced by the stomach. Used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and peptic ulcers and to relieve heartburn and indigestion.
risedronate Bone-resorption inhibitor. Builds healthy bone and helps restore lost bone. Used to prevent or treat osteoporosis.
risperidone Antipsychotic. Decreases unusually high levels of some brain activities, relieving symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and hostility. Used to treat severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia.
rofecoxib Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; COX-2 inhibitor. Relieves symptoms such as inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and joint pain. Used to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and to relieve headaches, menstrual pain, and pain after surgery.
rosiglitazone Antidiabetic drug. Increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin. Used to treat type 2 diabetes.
S
sertraline Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Increases the levels and activity of serotonin (a chemical messenger in the brain involved in regulating mood). Used to treat depression, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, premenstrual syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
sildenafil Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor. Widens the blood vessels that supply blood to the penis. Helps maintain an erection produced by sexual stimulation. Should not be used with nitrates (combining sildenafil with a nitrate drug can cause low blood pressure and dizziness, light-headedness, fainting, and, in some cases, death).
simvastatin Lipid-lowering drug; statin. Blocks the production of cholesterol in the liver, lowering the level of bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood. Used to prevent angina, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
spironolactone Potassium-sparing diuretic. Used to treat high blood pressure and overproduction of the hormone aldosterone and to relieve fluid retention resulting from congestive heart failure, heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, and nephrotic syndrome.
sumatriptan Hormonelike drug that acts like the chemical messenger serotonin in the brain. Relieves pain, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. Used to treat symptoms of migraine headaches and cluster headaches.
T
tamoxifen Hormone antagonist. Blocks the action of estrogen on breast tissue. Used to treat breast cancer and to prevent breast cancer in women who are at high risk of breast cancer.
tamsulosin Antiadrenergic. Relaxes the muscles of the prostate and the opening of the bladder, easing the flow of urine from the bladder and through the urethra. Used to treat an enlarged prostate gland.
temazepam Benzodiazepine; antianxiety drug. Reduces feelings of restlessness, slows mental activity, and relaxes the muscles. Used to relieve insomnia.
terazosin Antiadrenergic; antihypertensive. Relaxes the blood vessels (reducing blood pressure) and relaxes the muscles of the prostate and the opening of the bladder (easing the flow of urine from the bladder and through the urethra). Used to treat high blood pressure and an enlarged prostate gland.
tetracycline Broad-spectrum antibiotic. Used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections, including severe acne, conjunctivitis, tickborne diseases (such as Lyme disease), respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as gonorrhea, and ulcers resulting from infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.
theophylline Bronchodilator; xanthine. Widens the airways in the lungs, increasing air flow and making breathing easier. Used to prevent or relieve the symptoms of asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema, and to treat neonatal apnea.
tobramycin Antibacterial. Used to treat bacterial infections of the eye and bacterial infections in people with cystic fibrosis.
tolterodine Antispasmodic. Prevents contractions of the bladder. Used to treat symptoms of bladder disorders such as the frequent need to urinate or the inability to control