Consumer's Dictionary of Medicines, A New, Expanded Updated Edition: Prescription, Over-the-Counter, Homeopathic, and Herbal Plus Medical Definitions -With Over 8,000 Entr (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This handbook by the author of A Con sumer's Dictionary of Household, Yard, and Office Chemicals ( LJ 7/92) and other consumer references covers more than 7000 prescription, nonprescription, and herbal medications, along with medical definitions. The informative introduction explains the differences among the three types of medications and describes their safe use. All listings are interfiled alphabetically instead of being broken down into sections, and cross references are provided. Entries include the substance's status (prescription, nonprescription, herbal), alternate and trade names, and a brief listing of uses and potential side effects. While not overflowing with detailed information, this book is a convenient quick reference tool. Recommended for public libraries.
- Kathleen McQuiston, Philadelphia Coll. of Pharmacy & Science
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Information about drugs is in constant demand. A number of excellent sources on this subject already exist. A Consumer's Dictionary of Medicines is a new addition to the literature.

Winter, author of A Consumer's Dictionary of Household, Yard, and Office Chemicals (Crown, 1992) and similar works on cosmetics and food additives, provides information about prescription, over-the-counter, herbal, and homeopathic drugs in this new book. An introduction explains each of these preparations and discusses the regulatory role of the Food and Drug Administration and the safe use of medication. She also includes some basic medical terminology (e.g., B cell, obsessive-compulsive disorder). The brief entries contain the chemical name of the drug and its brand names, uses, side effects, and interactions with other drugs or foods. Herbs are listed by their common English names rather than their Latin botanical ones, with the latter and alternative common names included in the entry. See references refer the user from brand or alternative names to the generic names used in the dictionary.

The information in this book is accurate but very brief, which limits is usefulness. This is especially true of the general medical terms. Diphtheria is defined as "an acute contagious disease once fatal to many children but no longer a problem due to vaccination," with nothing about the bacterium, symptoms, epidemiology, or treatment. There are no illustrations of medications or herbs to assist with identification. The Complete Drug Reference (Consumer Reports, annual) provides more comprehensive information about prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Michael Castleman's Healing Herbs (Rodale, 1992) and Penelope Ody's Complete Medical Herbal (Dorling Kindersley, 1993) provide more complete, illustrated coverage of herbs. Any of the standard medical dictionaries--Dorland's, Stedman's, Taber's--offer better definitions of medical terms. These works are more appropriate for reference collections. A Consumer's Dictionary of Medicines is better suited to circulating collections or home libraries. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 572 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; Exp Sub edition (March 4, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517885344
• ISBN-13: 978-0517885345
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.5 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,056,338 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very complete & concise guide to every known medicinal., March 18, 1999

By	[e-mail] or Valorie Ruka (San Diego, California) - See all my reviews

This is an excellent & complete reference to every medicinal product from Dristan Nasal Spray to marijuana to Zyrtec. It includes uses, abuses, side effects, interactions, FDA warnings and results of scientific research (if available) for every known drug. It is in dictionary format with references and cross references for scientific, generic and common names of each medicine. All of the pharmacological terms are also referenced. The book uses readily understandable descriptions without being oversimplified. There are not specific dosage recommendations and there are no illustrations, but otherwise this book has everything. I recommend it for health care professionals as well as consumers and give it 4 and 1/2 stars.

5.0 out of 5 stars Dictionaryof Meds. over the counter., September 12, 2009

By	James A. Morgan (St.Louis, Mo. United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Consumer's Dictionary Of Medicines Prescriptions,: Over-the-Counter & Herbal, Plus Medical Definitions (Paperback)

Easy to read,understand, would get another if I needed itmBUT this has all the info. I need.