Common Drugs and Their Uses

The five drugs that are discussed in this article are Ibuprofenwhich is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that iscommonly used for relief of Arthritis, Warfarin which is ananticoagulant drug commonly prescribed by doctors to treatvenous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, to treat or preventdangerous blood clotting in people with arterial fibrillationand to prevent strokes, a benzodiazepine drug called Diazepamwhich is commonly prescribed by doctors for relieve nervousness,anxiety, and anxiety disorders, a sulfonylureas drug calledGlipizide which is used to help control blood sugar levels andused to treat type 2 diabetes and a thyroid medication calledArmour Thyroid which is prescribed for the treatment ofhypothyroidism.Arthritis is a common illness in today's society; doctorsprescribe drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) for this condition. A common NSAID is Ibuprofen whichreduces inflammation, pain and high temperature and is usedwidely to relieve the symptoms of arthritis. Ibuprofen isavailable in prescription and nonprescription. As well asrheumatoid arthritis, Ibuprofen is used to treat mild tomoderate pain, primary dysmenorrhoea, osteoarthritis, menstrualcramps, bursitis, gout, migraine headaches and fever.NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen can cause gastrointestinal (GI)irritation, bleeding, iron loss and kidney dysfunction andincreased blood potassium levels, especially in older people.Ibuprofen may cause drowsiness, dizziness, or blurred visionespecially when taken with alcohol.Ibuprofen has adverse results when taken with lithium, sodiumand white willow.Lithium a mineral which is commonly prescribe to treat manicdepression, many NSAID's stop the excretion of lithium from thebody which results in higher blood lithium levels which in terncan create unwanted side effects and interferes with efficacy.NSAID's should be taken with caution for those people who aretaking lithium whether in supplement form or for mood disorders.It is wise to reduce salt intake when taking Ibuprofen becauseIbuprofen may cause sodium and water retention. People who are taking the herb white willow should be awarethat links have been made that white willow reduces the bloodlevel of NSAID's.Warfarin is an anticoagulant drug commonly used to treat venousthrombosis, pulmonary embolism, treat or prevent dangerous bloodclotting in people with arterial fibrillation and to preventstroke.Coenzyme Q10, Green tea, Iron, Magnesium, St. John's wort,Vitamin C and Zinc should be avoid when taking Warfarin as theycan reduced drug absorption/ bioavailability. Also Americanginseng, Asian ginseng, Cranberry, Dan shen, Devil's claw, Dongquai, Fenugreek, Garlic, Ginger, Ginkgo biloba, Horse chestnut,Lycium barbarum, Papain, Quilinggao, Quinine, Red clover,Reishi, Sweet clover, Sweet woodruff, Vitamin D and Vitamin Kshould be avoided as they can cause dangerous or undesirableresults.The long term of heavy drinking of alcohol can affect theefficiency of warfarin and also certain foods such as broccoli,Brussels sprouts, kale, parsley, spinach, which contain highamounts of vitamin K, can interfere with the effectiveness andsafety of warfarin.Known side effects of warfarin are difficulty breathing, closingof the throat, swelling of the lips, tongue, face, hives, black,bloody, or tarry stools, blood in urine or vomit, coughing upblood, bleeding gums or sores in the mouth, decreased urineproduction, yellowing of the skin or eyes, severe dizziness orheadache, easy bleeding or bruising under the skin, purplediscoloration of the toes or fingers, sudden leg or foot pain,unusually heavy menstrual periods, excessive gas or bloating,diarrhoea, nausea, or vomiting, hair loss and decreased appetiteor weight.Diazepam is commonly used to relieve nervousness, anxiety, andanxiety disorders. It is in a class of drugs calledbenzodiazepines which effect chemicals in the brain. People canbecome physically and psychologically dependent on diazepam, itis habit forming and withdrawal effects can occur when stopped.Diazepam can cause dizziness and drowsiness, alcohol can makethese symptoms worst.Diazepam can harm unborn babies and can be passed into breastmilk. Known side effects of Diazepam are an allergic reaction,sores in the mouth or throat, yellowing of the skin or eye, arash, hallucinations or severe confusion, changes in vision,drowsiness, dizziness, clumsiness, depression, nausea, vomiting,diarrhoea, constipation, difficulty urinating, vivid dreams,headache, dry mouth, decreased sex drive and changes inbehaviour.Glipizide is a sulfonylurea drug which is used to help controlblood sugar levels and used to treat type 2 diabetes. Known sideeffects of glipizide are severe headaches in children, skin rashor hives, signs and symptoms of overdose, chest pain, confusion,fast or irregular heartbeat, mood swings, muscle weakness,psychosis, extreme restlessness, yellow eyes or skin, shortnessof breath, changes in appetite, changes in menstrual periods,diarrhoea, fever, hand tremors, headache, increased sensitivityto heat, irritability, leg cramps, nervousness, sweating,trouble in sleeping, vomiting and weight loss.Adverse reaction can take place when Glipizide is taken togetherwith fenugreek and Ginkgo biloba. Fenugreek has been proved instudies to reduce blood glucose levels in people with type 2diabetes and ginkgo biloba worsened glucose tolerance in peoplewho took oral anti-diabetes medication.Thyroid medication are used for the treatment of hypothyroidismand are either synthetic or animal-derived hormones, ArmourThyroid is a common example of thyroid medication. Calcium andSoya may reduce drug absorption and bioavailability within thebody, bugleweed and lemon balm cause adverse reaction when takenwith thyroid medication.Thyroid medication has been known to increase loss of calciumfrom the body through urine and calcium has been known to reducethe effectiveness of certain thyroid medication. Soya beingtaken at the same time as thyroid medication has been known toreduce it abilities.Bugleweed and lemon balm should not be used with thyroidmedication as it is known that they interfere with the action ofthyroid hormones.In conclusion, it is important for a Nutritional Therapist toask patients what medication has been prescribed for them and toresearch these medications so that they know what side effectsare caused by these and what supplement and food types can beused without causing further negative effects.