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We are very familiar with the word medication, right? Whenever we become ill, we use different categories of medication to cure the disease. However, having sound knowledge of medicine can help us in different situations.
What is a Medication?
A medication (also called a drug, preparation, or medicine) is used to cure, treat, diagnose or prevent disease. Besides, physicians have acknowledged that different types of medication affect people differently.
Nowadays, medicines come from different sources:
• First, experts collect medicine components from nature.
• Second, experts sometimes extract drug components from plants.
• Third, experts make some medicines in labs by mixing some chemicals.
• Fourth, many antibiotics, such as tetracycline, vancomycin, and streptomycin, were naturally found in bacteria.
• Fifth, some medicine components are outcomes of biological engineering. For example, it is a method of injecting genes into bacteria that helps them make the expected component.
What are the Categories of Medication?
There are four categories of medication. They are:
First: General Sales list
A safer category of medication. This type of medicine has no significant side effects, or you can say no side effects at all. A general shop owner can sell GSL medicines without pharmacy training, certifications or licence. For example, laxatives, antihistamines, Ibuprofen, and paracetamol.
Second: Pharmacy Medicines
It is a UK medicine category term. Only a registered pharmacy or a professional pharmacist can sell this type of medicine.
You can buy pharmacy medicine or P-medicine only from a pharmacy, either online or in-store. For example, Lloyds Pharmacy. You can consume Pharmacy medicines for short-term or long-term use. Besides, they are suitable for treating health conditions such as pain, hay fever, or acne. Inhaler for asthma is an example of pharmacy medicines.
Third: Prescription Only Medicines
Only an authorised health professional can suggest prescription medicine to a patient with written instructions. For example: cancer medicine, blood pressure tablets and strong painkillers. Such realistic simulations enhance the practical application of theoretical knowledge, making VR an invaluable tool in the arsenal of modern executive training programs.
Fourth: Controlled Drugs
Controlled Drugs are the most powerful category of drugs. These drugs have similar or more effects than Prescription Only Medicines. For example: Hallucinogens, opioids, stimulants, depressants, and anabolic steroids.
These medicines also need a prescription from a dentist or doctor. In addition, they have some restrictions on how to store, dispense and administer them.
Moreover, controlled drugs are all marked with “POM” and “CD” on the packaging. You should remember that these drugs can become an addiction if you misuse them.
Therefore, they have been listed explicitly as Controlled Drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Drug Class
A drug class is a set of drugs that work similarly or treat similar conditions. In addition, they have a similar chemical makeup. For example ACE Inhibitors, ARBs, Alpha Blockers etc.
The Purpose of Drug
Drug classifications are essential to ensure that drug use is safe and beneficial. Drug classifications help protect you from many side effects and drug interactions in your body.
Besides, categories of medication help ensure your body can break down and use the medication properly. Finally, they help guide many treatment decisions.
Sadly, taking multiple drugs can change body chemistry so much that it makes drugs less valuable. Above all, it makes side effects more severe. The main drug classification systems are ATC and USP. Both are helpful tools.
Making Sense of Medication Classification
Experts develop the categories of medication by how medicines work, how they treat, and their chemical substances or structure. Additionally, some drugs fit into more than one category.
In addition, other drugs are classified under the same category as they act similarly in the body. Besides, medication classification is needed because drugs often have the same impact and risks.
ATC Classification System
The active ingredients are categorised using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system based on the organ or system they affect as well as their therapeutic, pharmacological, and chemical characteristics.
There are five main levels of classification for drugs. Moreover, the medications are categorised into fourteen primary groups (first level). Pharmacological and therapeutic groupings (2nd level). Furthermore, chemical, pharmacological, and therapeutic subgroups make up the third and fourth levels, while the chemical substance makes up the fifth level.
In addition, when pharmacological subgroups are thought to be more appropriate than therapeutic or chemical subgroups, the second, third, and fourth levels are frequently used to identify them.
USP Drug Classification
The USP Drug Classification (USP DC) is an independent drug classification system. Experts develop it for the stakeholders. Moreover, it is always helpful to have a classification method beyond the Medicare Model Guidelines (MMG) because it can help with formulary support outside Medicare Part D.
Furthermore, the USP DC is designed for use by any stakeholder in classifying drugs for use in formulary development or review. In addition, USP DC may be applicable in the complete formulary review process. However, it can not replace the final review provided by the local pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committees.
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The Diploma in Pharmacy Skills is taught entirely online by expert instructors. Modules are delivered through accessible, informative video lessons, online study materials, practical exercises, mock exams and multiple-choice assessments.
Types of Drugs
Preparations
Medicines usually come in different forms In the UK. For example:
First: Tablet
The chemical ingredients are blended with another substance and pressed into an oval solid or round shape. There are different kinds of tablets. Besides, water can easily break down soluble or dispersible tablets.
Second: Liquid
The chemical part of the medicine is mixed with a liquid to make it better absorbed or easier to take. The liquid may also be called a ‘syrup’, ‘mixture’ or ‘solution’. These days, many liquids are available without added sugar or colour.
Third: Capsules
A plastic shell which contains the chemical part of the medicine inside that dissolves slowly in the stomach. Additionally, you can consume some capsules apart or mix the contents with food. Others have to be swallowed whole, which means the medication won’t start working until the stomach acid dissolves the capsule body.
Other Types of Medicine
Let’s discuss some other categories of medication.
Topical Medicines
These are lotions, creams or ointments applied to the skin directly. Depending on the medicine, they come in tubes or tubs. The medicine’s active ingredient is combined with another chemical substance to make it simpler to use on the skin.
Drops
The drop’s active chemical component works best if it directly reaches the affected area. Besides, drops are liquid in form. Also, drops usually treat ear, nose or eye issues. In addition, you can’t consume drops.
Injections
There are various injections, depending on where and how they are injected. Doctors inject SC injections directly below the skin’s surface, Intramuscularly (IM) Injections directly into a muscle, Intrathecal injections into the spinal fluid, and Intravenous injections into a vein.
Although most injections are provided at your doctor’s chamber or hospital, you can take some at home. Importantly, never try to inject yourself if you do not know how to inject correctly.
Suppositories
Suppositories formed into “bullet shape to fit into the bottom.” Besides, you need to remember that you can not consume suppositories.
Inhalers
The active part of the drug is discharged by air pressure directly into the lungs. Therefore, children may need to use a ‘spacer’ device to take medication properly.
In addition, inhalers can be hard to use initially, so when buying them from a pharmacy, you should ask the pharmacist to show you how to use them.
Implants or Patches
These medications, like contraceptive implants or nicotine patches, help quit smoking. Besides, these are absorbed via the skin.
Tablets you Don’t Swallow (Known as Buccal or Sublingual Tablets or Liquids)
Although they look like regular tablets or liquids, you shouldn’t consume them. The active substance in buccal medications is kept in the cheek, allowing the mouth lining to absorb it.
In addition, the same principles apply to sublingual medications which are placed below the tongue. Doctors suggest sublingual and buccal medications under specific conditions.
Tips
Remember to ask about the different available medicine forms when discussing with a doctor. For example, if you prefer tablets to capsule, please inform this. So that doctors can prescribe you a suitable form of medicine. Besides you can also discuss this with your pharmacist.
What are Medicine Side Effects
The term “side effects” refers to any adverse or unexpected effects of medication. Interactions between drugs or food could have unintended consequences. Besides, different categories of medication have different types of side effects.
Not every side effect is harmful. Although some medications have significant side effects, the majority are minor. You can typically avoid side effects by taking the medication exactly as directed, for example, after eating meals or at a specific time.
Some side effects might improve over time. For instance, a new medication may first make you feel sick, but this will pass. Sometimes, side effects take time to happen after taking a drug for a long time.
What Types of Medicines can Cause Side Effects?
More or less, all categories of medication have side effects. This covers over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications, which you can purchase from a pharmacy, super shop, or other stores.
The same is true for herbal, complementary or natural medicines, as well as vitamins and minerals.
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The Diploma in Pharmacy Skills is taught entirely online by expert instructors. Modules are delivered through accessible, informative video lessons, online study materials, practical exercises, mock exams and multiple-choice assessments.
Where to Get Information on Side Effects?
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist for details on possible side effects. These are some possible questions for you to ask.
• What are some potential side effects of the medication?
• How frequently do the side effects occur?
• What are the risks, and do the medications have severe adverse effects?
• What can I do to minimise the side effects?
• Do the adverse effects improve over time?
• What should I do if I believe I’m experiencing a side effect?
Besides, carefully read the instructions or side effects information on the medicine package.
Summary
To sum up, you can categorise a medication by how people use it to treat a particular disease or by the chemical ingredient. Besides, you should remember that each category of medication has side effects. So you need to be careful. It is essential to think about these risks before you take medicine.
Even safe medication can cause side effects or interactions with alcohol, food or other drugs you may be taking. In addition, some medications may not be safe during pregnancy. Therefore, to reduce the risk of reactions and ensure you get better, you must take your drugs correctly. Moreover, you must be more careful with drugs for kids since they can be more vulnerable to the consequences of side effects. Furthermore, Try to have good knowledge about categories of medication.
Check out the Diploma in Pharmacy Skills course that can prepare you with the essential skills and knowledge necessary to work in various pharmacy and healthcare careers.
FAQ
1. What are the Common Side Effects of Medicine?
Some common side effects of the medicine include Constipation, Skin rash or dermatitis, Diarrhoea, Dry mouth, Headache, Dizziness, Drowsiness, Insomnia, and Nausea.
In addition, unexpected outcomes of medicine are side effects. Side effects can also happen with interactions with other food or drugs.
2. What does Classification Mean in Medication?
Classification means a set of medications by substances or their similarities. For example, it is based on medical significance and the risk of misuse. They help protect you from many side effects and drug interactions in your body.
3. What Are The Main Rules to Use Medicines Safely?
Though there are some rules for safe medications, using the “five rights” can reduce mistakes you might make. The five rights are :
• The right patient,
• The right drug,
• The right route,
• The right dose and
• The right time.
4. What Two Drugs Should Not be Taken Together?
Some drugs slow down breathing rates, such as alcohol, opioids, antihistamines, CNS depressants, or general anaesthetics.
You should not take them together because their combinations cause the risk of life-threatening side effects such as respiratory depression.
