5 Most Common Drugs Prescribed
The Most Common Prescription Drugs, and What They Do
Medical science has progressed to a point that there is a treatment or cure for nearly every condition. When taking prescription medication, be sure that you understand exactly what your medication is prescribed for and how it works. This is important so that you can be on the lookout for possible complications, side effects, and interactions. The five most commonly prescribed drugs are Paxil, Lexapro, Lortab, Xanax, and Ultram.
Paxil : Most Popular Antidepressant
Paxil is an antidepressant medication available in tablets and an oral suspension. Paxil is primarily used to treat major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder. Paxil is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, also known as an SSRI. It works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin, thereby making more serotonin available in the bloodstream. A patient taking Paxil should never drink alcohol, as alcohol with this type of antidepressant could be a lethal combination.
How Does Lexapro Work: SSRI Antidepressants
Lexapro is an antidepressant medication used to treat major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Like Paxil, Lexapro is an SSRI. The presence of serotonin reduces the occurrence of depression and anxiety, which is why SSRIs are commonly prescribed to patients suffering from depression. Just like with Paxil, a patient taking Lexapro should never drink alcohol.
Lortab IP 119
Lortab is a pain killer that is available in tablet form. Lortab is a mixture of hydrocodone barbiturate and acetaminophen. Each of these drugs are useful to treat pain on their own, but Lortab is so commonly prescribed because of the unique effectiveness of these two drugs working together. Hydrocodone is a narcotic pain killer that works on changing how the brain responds to pain. Acetaminophen is an anti-inflammatory medication and works to reduce pain by reducing the amount of inflammation. Alcohol should be avoided with Lortab because of the interactions it could have with the hydrocodone. Both hydrocodone and alcohol impact the way that the brain interprets stimuli. Too much of these types of drugs could cause a lethal reaction. Further, a patient taking Lortab should be careful not to take any other medications with acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, with it unless specifically directed to do so by a physician. An overdose of acetaminophen can result in jaundice, liver failure, and death if the overdose is not treated immediately.
Xanax: Information You Need to Know
Xanax is a medication containing the drug alprazolam. Xanax is used for the treatment of anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Xanax is a central nervous system depressant and works by slowing down the body's response to anxiety, therefore, alcohol should be avoided by patients taking Xanax. Lethal reactions can occur if this advice is not followed.
Is Ultram Right For You
Ultram is the brand name for the drug tramadol. Tramadol is available in tablets and is a centrally activated analgesic. It is commonly used to manage or treat moderate to severe pain. This medication is almost always prescribed only to adults, though occasionally this medication is prescribed to children and dogs. The central nervous system and brain are impacted by tramadol, thereby changing the way that the brain interprets pain, in turn reducing the amount of pain that the patient feels.
For more information about drugs and other supplements please visit our Drugs & Supplements section on GKHealth.
