The PDR® Family Guide to Prescription Drugs
Written: Jun 28 '01 (Updated Jun 28 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The most comprehensive guide to prescription drugs for the consumer
Cons: Each year is an updated edition
The Bottom Line: A guide for any family that has a member on medication for an illness or disability. An essential tool to learn about the prescriptions being prescribed.
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| bonniesayers's Full Review: The Pdr Pocket Guide to Prescription Drugs (The Pd... |
A few years ago I joined a mind, body and spirit book club with the initial offer of four books for under a dollar. The PDR® Family Guide to Prescription Drugs was one of my selections. This is the leading drug guide for over fifty years that contains over 1,000 medications. Physician’s Desk Reference® is the term referred to as (PDR®) and used in Insurance Companies, claims offices as well as Doctor’s offices.
Have you ever noticed when you request a certain medication that your Physician may leave the room before writing out the prescription? Chances are they are looking something up in the PDR before producing the Rx. I have observed my Physician utilizing a PDR when deciding on which medication to use in treating my asthma and eczema. When I visit my Dermatologist he seems more interested in knowing which Insurance Company I am with and then can recite which prescription drugs they approve.
The Guide is comprised of several sections with the first a listing of the contributors to the book and followed by directions on how to utilize the book. The drug identification guide consists of sixteen pages alphabetized according to the pharmaceutical company/manufacturer. For example, Zoloft, Sertraline Hcl, Pfizer, a blue caplet is 50mg with a yellow one being 100mg. They will show what forms this prescriptive drug comes in, colors and various doses by the pharmaceutical company.
This guide helps for patients that might have a hard time swallowing certain types of pills and need a capsule or caplet. I have used atarax for years due to my eczema. I call them the anti-itch pills but they knock you out for around twelve hours. By looking first in the identification guide I saw that there was a 10mg dose available so my Doctor changed my prescription from the 25mg to the 10mg and the option of taking one to three tablets prior to bedtime.
The bulk of the guide is the alphabetized drug profiles starting with Accolate. I have taken this for my asthma and my Dermatologist prescribed me this for my eczema. I was not comfortable taking this for something other than asthma and did not read anything in the book relating to the skin problems so I never took them. My Dermatologist tries lots of drugs to help alleviate the symptoms that are from my eczema. I feel better reading about them before taking in The PDR® Family Guide to Prescription Drugs .
The format of the guide in the profile section is as follows:
Brand Name
Pronounced
Generic Name
Why is this drug prescribed?
Most Important fact about this drug?
How should you take this medication?
If you miss a dose…
Storage instructions…
What side effects may occur?
More common side effects may include
Less common side effects may include
Rare side effects may include?
Why should this drug not be prescribed?
Special warnings about this medication
Possible food and drug interactions when taking this medication
Special information If you are pregnant or breastfeeding
Recommended dosage
Adults
High Blood Pressure
Children
Overdosage
Symptoms of overdose may include
Since I have two autistic children I have heard of many prescription drugs that are used in the treatment of various issues pertaining to the disability. By utilizing the guide I am more aware of what works in the medical field. The photographs help identify medicines and a good idea to double-check what medicine should look like against the guide.
A few years ago my almost ex husband was on an anti-psychotic drug called Haldol. He had to take another drug, Cogentin to combat the side effects from Haldol. Under this drug it mentioned taking it simultaneously with an antipsychotic medication (Thorazine, Stelazine, Haldol) and mentioned how it caused bowel blockage. Also listed was the tip to take antacids to decrease the side effects of Cogentin, so in essence other avenues have to be considered with side effects.
Under the overdosage it is hard with these medications since the effects are similar to a psychotic episode so you have to determine if the patient took their medicine or took too much.
Haldol is also the drug that Mrs. Yates the woman who drowned her five children recently in Texas had been taking. The listed side effects for Haldol are numerous compared to other drugs and so many interactions if used with other drugs.
When I learned that my almost ex was on a new medication I asked him to read me the bottle over the phone as I wrote all the information down. After reading about Risperdal in the guidebook I informed some other parents I knew on some autism lists who were given this to treat their children from self-injurious behavior. I was surprised no one was informed or retained the important guidelines for this medicine.
I was the one to inform the almost ex not to store this medicine in the bathroom and that prolonged exposure to heat was not a good thing. He has not listened to this advice as he works at a car wash.
Just recently he has mentioned to me a number of times he has blurred vision so I am documenting these and asked him to see his doctor to report this. Risperdal may cause Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), a condition marked by muscle stiffness or rigidity, fast heartbeat or irregular pulse, increased sweating, high fever, and high or low blood pressure. Unchecked, this condition can prove fatal. He did not seem to be aware of this from his doctor or the pharmacist. I believe the doctor dispenses the medicine to him and this causes concern. This drug may impair your ability to drive a car.
I have taken a drug called Prednisone a few times over the years for a quick fix on my rashes from eczema. When I look it up in The PDR® Family Guide to Prescription Drugs it refers me to Deltasone. There is a long list of what this is used in treatment for including asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. I have learned by reading the guide it is best to taper off when ending the prescription Prednisone. I have noticed the second day on this that my temperament changes drastically and so I only take for four days.
The next section to the book is Disease Overviews. They are broken down into chapters:
1. New Hope for Heart Patients
2. Defusing High Blood Pressure
3. Coping with Arthritis
4. Osteoporosis, back pain and other bone disorders
5. Digestive disorders – minor and major
6. Respiratory disease
7. Cancer
8. New Answers for Pain
9. Emotional and Psychological Problems
10. OB/GYN Disorders
11. Birth Control
12. Childhood Infections
13. Ear, Nose and Throat
14. Common Allergies
15. Skin Problems
16. Glandular Disorders
17. Major Infections
18. Kidney Disease
19. Urinary Disorders
20. Liver Disease
21. Sexually Transmitted Disease
22. AIDS
23. Drugs and the Elderly
I have utilized chapters when my son was dehydrated as well as the skin problems for myself. This past week we received a note that Chicken Pox was present at the school so I looked that up under Childhood Infections. We had a consultation with a GI doctor this week so I read the chapter on Digestive Disorders. The chapter on Emotional and Psychological discusses Schizophrenia and refers to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as the bible for mental illness. The Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) is known as the “bible” in its discipline. A few years ago the almost ex mentioned to me in passing that he has Hepatitis C. I read about this under the chapter on Liver Disease.
At the back of the guide is Appendix A, safe medication use, with tips on talking with your doctor and pharmacist. Appendix B is a state listing of Poison Control Centers. Many years ago when I was living with my parents my father pulled up in the driveway and I happened to notice he slumped over in his seat. We called the poison control center and learned my father had inhaled some toxic paint fumes. These numbers are very important to keep and note close to your phone.
The next index is for searching specific diseases and disorders. There will be a listing of which prescription drugs are used for this treatment and the page to read further. Some of the topics include Insomnia, Panic Disorders, Menopause, Obesity and Wheezing. The general index is where you would search for a particular drug or ailment. These include Arthritis, Antibiotics for ulcers, Burcitis, Cefzil, Gigantism, Heart Valve Replacement, Pancreatic Cancer, Remeron and Vomiting as a symptom of Mumps.
There is also a listing of new drugs listed in each new edition at the end of the contents page. This one shows Evista (for osteoporosis), Viagra (for impotence), Zypreza (for schizophrenia) then the page number to find the listings and descriptions.
I highly suggest families to purchase The PDR® Family Guide to Prescription Drugs for their home health library. This covers children and adults, both male and female. I use it almost on a daily basis to look something up and learn about illnesses and drugs.
For a family that may be taking in an elderly family member this would be most useful in organizing the prescriptions and making a daily schedule of when to take them and where to store them. If you are a home health provider or studying to work in the health field this would be a vital guide in helping you learn the various brands of drugs used. This guide is an extensive overview of drugs that are used for migraines, asthma, AIDS, liver disease and treating high blood pressure and Alzheimer’s.
You can find this guide used at half.com starting at $3.75. A new copy sells for about $18.40 at other merchants. Published by Crown Trade Paperbacks and copyrighted by Medical Economics Company. For purchasing this guide in bulk sales you can contact the Commercial Sales Department at 1-800-442-6657.
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