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The purpose of this book is to provide educational information to the public concerning the majority of various types of prescription drugs that are currently used by licensed health care professionals. It is not intended to be complete or exhaustive or in any respect a substitute for personal medical care. Only a licensed health care professional may prescribe these drugs and their exact dosages.
 
The images in this book do not correspond precisely with the actual pills, either in color or size. Furthermore, pictures identified as brand-name drugs should not be confused with their generic counterparts. In any event, the reader should not rely solely upon the photographic image to identify any pills depicted herein, but should rely upon the licensed health care professional’s prescription as dispensed by the pharmacist.
 
How to Use This Book
 
How to Find Your Medication in The Pill Book
 
The Pill Book lists most medications in alphabetic order by generic name because a medication may have many brand names but has only 1 generic name. Most generic medications produce the same therapeutic effects as their brand-name equivalents but are much less expensive. Drugs that are available generically are indicated by the “G” symbol.
 
When a medication has 2 or more active ingredients, it is listed by the most widely known brand name. In some cases, pill profiles are listed by drug type (e.g., Sulfonylurea Antidiabetes Drugs).
 
The Pill Book includes the names of the top 100 brand-name drugs (cross-referenced to their generic name) in alphabetic order with the pill profiles.
 
Most over-the-counter (OTC) medications are not included in The Pill Book. For complete information on OTC medications, refer to The Pill Book Guide to Over-the-Counter Medications.
 
All brand and generic names are listed in the Index. Brand names are indicated by boldface.
 
Sugar-free and alcohol-free brand-name drugs are indicated by the “S” and “A” symbols in the beginning of each pill profile.
 
The Pill Book, like pills themselves, should be used with caution. Viewed properly, this book may save you money and, perhaps, your life. It contains life-size pictures of the most prescribed brand-name drugs in the U.S. The Pill Book’s product identification system is designed to help you check that the medication you are about to take is the one your doctor prescribed. Although many dosage forms are included, not all available forms and strengths of every medication have been shown. While every effort has been made to create accurate photographic reproductions of the products, some variations in size or color may be expected as a result of the printing process. Do not rely solely on the photographic images to identify your pills; check with your pharmacist if you have any product identification questions.
 
Each pill profile in The Pill Book contains the following information:
 
Generic and Brand Name: The generic name is the common name of the drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is listed along with the current brand names available for each generic drug. Medications that are available in a generic form are indicated by the “G” symbol.
 
Most prescription drugs are sold in more than one dosage strength. Also, some drugs, such as oral contraceptives, come in packages containing different numbers of pills. A few manufacturers indicate these variations by adding letters or numbers to the basic drug name; for example, Loestrin 21 1.5/30 and Loestrin 21 1/20. (The numbers here refer to the number of tablets in each monthly packet, 21, and the amount of medication found in the tablets.) Other drugs come in different strengths: This is often indicated by a notation such as “DS” (double strength) or “Forte” (stronger).
 
The Pill Book lists generic and brand names together only where there are no differences in basic ingredients (e.g., Loestrin). However, the amount of the ingredient may vary from product to product. In most cases, the brand names and generic versions listed for each medication are interchangeable; you can use any version of the drug and expect that it will work for you. The Pill Book identifies within the profile those medications for which generic versions are not considered equivalent and which should not be interchanged with a brand-name product or another generic version of the same drug.
 
Type of Drug: Describes the general pharmacologic class of each drug: “antidepressant,” “sedative,” “decongestant,” “expectorant,” and so on.
 
Prescribed For: All drugs are approved for some symptoms or conditions by federal authorities, but doctors also commonly prescribe drugs for other, as yet unapproved, reasons; in some cases, these are also listed in The Pill Book. Check with your doctor if you are not sure why you have been given a certain pill.
 
General Information: Information on how the drug works, how long it takes for you to feel its effects, or a description of how this drug is similar to or different from other drugs.
 
Cautions and Warnings: This information alerts you to important and more dangerous reactions. Physical conditions, such as heart disease, that can have serious consequences if the medication is prescribed for you, are in bold type.
 
Possible Side Effects: Side effects are generally divided into 4 categories—those that are most common, common, less common, and rare—to help you better understand what to expect from your pills. If you are not sure whether you are experiencing a drug side effect, ask your doctor. The Pill Book does not include a complete listing of all possible drug side effects. Contact your doctor if you experience anything unusual while taking any medication.
 
Drug Interactions: Describes what happens when you combine your medication with other drugs and lists which drugs should not be taken at the same time as your medication. Some interactions may be deadly. At every visit, be sure to inform your doctor of any medication you are already taking.
 
Food Interactions: Provides information on foods to avoid while taking your medication, whether to take your medication with meals or on an empty stomach, and other important facts.
 
Usual Dose: Tells you the largest and smallest doses usually prescribed and gives dosage instructions for children and seniors, when applicable. You may be given different dosage instructions by your doctor. Do not change the dosage of ANY medication you take without first calling your doctor.
 
Overdosage: Describes overdose symptoms and what to do if you take too much medication.
 
Special Information: Includes symptoms to watch for, when to call your doctor, what to do if you forget a dose of your medication, and any special instructions.
 
Special Populations: Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: For women who are or might be pregnant, and what to do if you must take a medication during the time you are nursing your baby. Seniors: This section presents the special facts an older adult needs to know about each drug and explains how reactions may differ from those of a younger person.
 
In an Emergency!
 
Each year over 1 million people experience drug-related poisoning in the U.S., and about 10% of those cases result in death. In fact, drug overdose is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in the U.S.
 
Although each of the pill profiles in The Pill Book has specific information on drug overdose, there are a few general rules to remember if you are faced with an accidental poisoning:
 
Make sure the victim is breathing, and call for medical help immediately.
 
Learn the phone number of your local poison control center and post it near the phone. Call the center in an emergency. When you call, be prepared to explain
 
What drug was taken and how much;
Status of the victim (e.g., conscious, sleeping, vomiting, or having convulsions);
The approximate age and weight of the victim;
Any chronic medical problems of the victim (e.g., diabetes, epilepsy, or high blood pressure), if you know them;
What medications, if any, the victim takes regularly;
 
Remove anything that might interfere with breathing. A person who is not getting enough oxygen will turn blue (the tongue or the skin under the fingernails changes color first). If this happens, lay the victim on his or her back, open the collar, place one hand under the neck, and lift, pull, or push the victim’s jaw so that it juts outward. This will open the airway between the mouth and lungs as wide as possible. Begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation ONLY if the victim is not breathing.
 
If the victim is unconscious or having convulsions, call for medical help immediately. While waiting for the ambulance, lay the victim on his or her stomach and turn the head to one side. Should the victim throw up, this will prevent inhalation of vomit. DO NOT give an unconscious victim anything by mouth. Keep the victim warm.
 
If the victim is conscious, call for medical help and give the victim an 8-oz. glass of water to drink. This will dilute the poison.
 
Only a small number of poisoning victims require hospitalization. Most may be treated with simple actions or need no treatment at all.
 
The poison control center may tell you to make the person vomit. The best way to do this is to use ipecac syrup, which is available over-the-counter at any pharmacy. Specific instructions on how much to give infants, children, or adults are printed on the label and will also be given by your poison control center. Remember, DO NOT make the victim vomit unless you have been instructed to do so. Never make the victim vomit if the victim is unconscious, is having a convulsion, or is experiencing a painful, burning feeling in the mouth or throat.