Prescription Medications

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Medical Author:

Omudhome Ogbru, PharmD

Omudhome Ogbru, PharmD

Dr. Ogbru received his Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy in 1995. He completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at the University of Arizona/University Medical Center in 1996. He was a Professor of Pharmacy Practice and a Regional Clerkship Coordinator for the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy from 1996-99.

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Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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• Prescription Medications Overview
• Historical Background of Prescription Medications
• Preparing for a Doctor's Appointment
• What to Do at the Doctor's Office About Prescription Medications
• Generic Medications vs Brand Names
• Making Sense of Abbreviations on Prescription Bottles
• Getting Prescriptions Filled
• Buying Prescription Drugs Online
• Keeping Prescription Medications Safe at Home
• Disposing of Old or Unused Medications
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Prescription Medications Overview

All medications sold in the United States can be divided into two categories:

• Prescription medications that require a prescription from an authorized prescriber (for example, doctor, nurse practitioner, dentist, etc).
  
  
• Nonprescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications that do not require a prescription from an authorized prescriber (for example, doctor, nurse practitioner, dentist, etc).

Prescription medications are generally more potent than those sold over-the-counter (OTC), and may have more serious side effects and drug interactions if inappropriately used. Therefore, these medications are only sold under a prescriber's direction. These directions are written or typed on a prescription by the prescriber, then double-checked, packaged, and sold to you by a pharmacist.

Historical Background of Prescription Medications

• The regulation of drugs in the United States began with the Import Drugs Act of 1846, enacted after Mexico sold the US Army tainted drugs to treat malaria.
  
  
• In 1906, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was formed, primarily to regulate commerce and to combat the then rampant adulteration (debasement or dilution of a substance by adding other material) of foods and drugs.
  
  
• The FDA was not empowered to address drug safety issues until 1938, following the unnecessary deaths of 107 children from a new drug preparation. This incident led to laws that required drugs be proven safe before they were allowed on the market.
  
  
• The last major regulatory change was the provision of the FDA in 1962 that drugs be proven to be effective as well as safe before they could be used.
  
  
• Today, the FDA continues to regulate all drugs sold in the US, both by insuring that they are safe and effective in what they do before they are released and by limiting their distribution by deciding which medications require a prescription to be sold.

Preparing for a Doctor's Appointment

Before going to see a health care practitioner, especially if it is for a first visit or if more than one practitioner is seen, make sure to write down the names, doses, and frequency of all current medications. Another way to do this is to put all of the currently used pill bottles in a bag and take them so the physician can record them. Do this for all prescription and OTC medications, and for vitamins and herbal supplements.

Make a list of any questions about medications before an office visit. Also take note of any new side effects or side effects that have worsened. Be ready to discuss how well medications are working with the health care practitioner.