Over the counter medications

Lakewood Fire MEDIC ONE
EMD - CE
INTRODUCTION
TO “O.T.C.”
MEDICINE

OBJECTIVE
To familiarize the students
with basic OTC medicines
used to treat minor medical
problems.

OTC MEDICATIONS
 Drugs that can be brought without a
doctor’s prescription.
 Don’t assume that they are safe.
 Carefully read labels and inserts.
 Be aware of drug interactions.

HEADACHE
 Acetylsalicylic Acid
(ASA, Aspirin)
 Acetaminophen
(Tylenol)
 Ibuprofen (Motrin)
 Ergotamine tartrate
and caffeine tablets
(Wigraine)

OPHTHALMIC MEDS
 Irrigation Solutions
 Lubricants (Artificial
Tears, Liquid Tears)
 Vasoconstrictors (Visine)
 Ophthalmic Antibiotics

OTTIC MEDS
 Domoborro
 Acetic Acid
 Ear Wax Removal (Debrox)

ANTACIDS
 Taken to relieve heartburn or
indigestion caused by stomach acid.
 Relatively safe for occasional use, but
may cause problems if taken regularly.
 There are several kinds of antacids.

ANTACIDS
 Sodium Bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer, Bromo
Seltzer) contain baking soda.
 Calcium Carbonate (Tums, Alka-2)
 Aluminum-based (Amphojel)
 Magnesium Compounds (Phillip’s Milk of
Magnesia)
 Aluminum-Magnesium combinations
(Maalox, Di-Gel, Mylanta)

ANTACIDS
PRECAUTIONS
 Try to eliminate the cause instead of
taking antacids regularly.
 Antacids may interfere with the
absorption and action of some drugs,
such as digitalis, antibiotics and
anticoagulants.

ANTIDIARRHEALS
 Two types: Those that thicken the stool and
those that slow intestinal spasms.
 Thickening Mixtures
(Kaopectate)
(Bismuth Subsalicylate
Pepto-Bismol)

ANTIDIARRHEALS
 Antispasmodic Products (Loperamide -
Immodiun A-D and Diphenoxylate
hydrochloride - Lomotil)
 Combinations Donnagel and
Parepectolin)

ANTIDIARRHEALS
PRECAUTIONS
 Diarrhea often helps rid the body of
infection.
 Take preparation until the stool
thickens then stop to avoid
constipation.
 Replace body fluids.

NAUSEA AND
VOMITING
 Best to determine and treat underlying
cause
 Antihistamine Antiemetics
– Meclazine (Antivert)
– Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
– Promethazine (Phenergan)
– Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
– Scopolamine (Transderm -Scop)
– Prochlorperazine (Compazine)

COLD REMEDIES
 If you take drugs for a cold
you’ll probably get better in
about a week. If you take
nothing you’ll get better in
about seven days.

COLD REMEDIES
 REST AND LIQUIDS
 ANTIBIOTICS WILL NOT HELP
 Medications help relieve the SYMPTOMS

COLD REMEDIES
ANTIHISTAMINES
 Dries mucous membranes
 Single Ingredient Antihistamines
– Cholrpheniramine (Chlor-Trimiton)
– Diphenhydramine (Benadrly)
 Combinations (Antihistamine
plus a Decongestant)
– Dristan, Triaminic

THE VALUE OF
ANTIHISTAMINE USE IN
THE COMMON COLD IS
UNDER DEBATE

COLD REMEDIES
ANTIHISTAMINE
PRECAUTIONS
 Drink extra fluids when taking cold
medicines
 Antihistamines may interact with other
medications such as antidepressants,
sedatives, and tranquilizers.

DECONGESTANTS
Sympathomimetic amines
which reduce the flow of
blood to the nasal mucosa
 Sprays and Drops
(phenylephrine, Neo-
Synephrine) (Oxymethazoline
HCL - Afrin, Duration)
 Oral Decongestants
(pseudoephedrine, Sudafed)

COLD REMEDIES
DECONGESTANT PRECAUTIONS
 Can interact with other drugs
 If used for too long a time they can cause a
rebound effect
 SIDE EFFECTS
– Tachycardia, Headache, Dizziness
– USE WITH CAUTION IN PATIENTS WITH
SEVERE HYPERTENSION AND ISCHEMIC
HEART DISEASE

COUGHING
 Protective Reflex action of the
respiratory system to dislodge and eject
foreign materials and excess mucus
from the respiratory tract.
 Congested Productive Cough
 Congested Nonproductive Cough
 Dry Nonproductive cough
 Antitussive

COLD REMEDIES
COUGH PREPARATIONS
 WATER AND FRUIT
 DEMULCENTS
– Honey, Hard Candy, Cough Drops
 CODEINE
– Depresses the cough reflex
– Used for symptomatic relief of dry
nonproductive cough
– Codeine Tablets, Robitussin AC and Codiene
Elixir

COLD REMEDIES
COUGH PREPARATIONS
 DEXTROMETHORPHAN
– Nonnarcotic equivalent to Codeine
– Robitussin DM
 GUAIFENESIN
– Expectorant used in both productive and
nonproductive cough
– Robitussin, 2G, GG Tussin

COLD REMEDIES
COUGH PREPARATIONS
PRECAUTIONS
 Can cause problems for people with certain
health problems, such as asthma, heart
disease and high blood pressure
 Use with caution in patients with respiratory
problems - Cough suppressants can stifle
breathing
 Some preparations contain large amounts of
alcohol; others contain codeine

LAXATIVES
 Two types of products that ease the
passage and elimination of bowel
movements
 Those that speed up the passage of stool by
stimulating the intestines (Correctol, Ex-
Lax, Feen-A-Mint, Biscodyl, Senna Pod)
 Bulking Agents are not laxatives, but ease
constipation by increasing the volume of
the stool and making it easier to pass
(Metamucil)

FECAL SOFTENERS
 Agents Used to maintain a soft stool to
minimize work involved in defecation.
 dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (Colace)
 dioctyl calcium sulfosuccinate (Surfak)
 Mineral Oil
– Absorption of lipid soluble vitamins may be
affected
– Lipid Pneumonia is a possible side effect
– Oil leak

BUROW’S
SOLUTION/DOMEBORO
POWDER
 Mild skin irritation from exposure to
soaps, chemicals, diaper rash, acne,
scaly skin, eczema apply PRN
 Skin inflammation, insect bites, poison
ivy, or other contact dermatoses,
swelling, athlete's foot
 Used in wet dressings and soaks

ANTIBACTERIALS AND
ANTIFUNGALS
 Alcohol, ethyl and isopropyl
 Carbol-fuchsin solution
– Tinea, fungal skin infections
 Hydrogen peroxide
– Cleansing wounds
 Salicylic acid
– Warts
 Tolnaftate
– Tinea
 Undecylenic acid
– Tinea

ANTISEPTICS AND
GERMACIDES
 Hexachlorophene
– pHisoHex, pHisoScrub
 Iodine
 Povidone-iodine

ASTRINGENTS
 Calamine
 Witch hazel
 Oatmeal
 Petrolatum
EMOLLIENTS

MISCELLANEOUS AGENTS
 Benzyl benzoate
– Treatment of scabies
 Methyl salicylate (Ben-Gay, Icy Hot etc.)
 Selinium sulfide (Selsun, Selsun Blue )
 Para-aminobenzoic acid PABA
 Zinc oxide

HEMORRHOIDS
 Anusol
 Dibucaine
 Witch Hazel Pads

Over the counter medications

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Over the counter medications