Customer Reviews

Complete Guide to Prescription and Nonprescription Drugs 2006 (Complete Guide to Prescription & Non-Prescription Drugs)

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Notwithstanding the L. A. Times describing this book as easy-to-use and informative, I found it close to useless. The basic problem is that it does not give information for any individual drugs - it gives info only for drug classes. As an example, I tried to get information on using Cipro for travelers' diarrhea. I had to look up Cipro in the index, where I was referred to the fluoroquinolones section, which lists Cipro along with 12 other wide-spectrum antibotics. There is no Cipro-specific information regarding usage, dosage, or anything else. (Nor was there any mention of travelers' diarrhea.) Since the information covers 13 distinct, although related, drugs, the information is necessarily very generalized. By way of contrast, The Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs 2006, which I purchased at the same time, does provide descriptions for individual drugs, and it lists travelers' diarrhea as one of the off-label uses for Cipro. The PDR Family Guide also lists individual drugs.

This book is easy to read and understand. It provides the generic and brand names associated with each drug class along with information regarding uses for the drug. Each drug class provides the following information; dosage and usage information, overdose symptoms and what to do, what the drug does, time lapse before the drug works and symptoms of possible adverse reactions or side effects along with if the side effects are life-threatening, common, infrequent or rare and if you should continue using the drug or discontinue and seek medical attention right away, warnings and precautions, such as prolonged use, driving, etc. It also provides a list of possible interactions with other drugs and other substances (Alcohol, Beverages, Cocaine, Foods, Marijuana and Tobacco) and the combined effect of using the drugs/substances together.

The main reason we like this drug reference better than the others is that it shows, clearly in a nice chart, interactions with other medications as well as recreational drugs like alcohol, marijuana and others. Very helpful!