Medications - Tools for Managing Health Conditions

Medications are substances used to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease. They can include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements that help manage various health conditions.
Category
Healthcare Product
Where to get
Available with a prescription or over-the-counter
Applicable for
Prepared by Shruti Sahoo, reviewed by Dr. Eugene Smith

Medications FAQ


Image credit: awhealthcare.com

What is a medication used for?

A medication is a prescription drug used to treat a disease. A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease.

What is a medication & how does it work?

Medication is a medicine or a chemical compound used to treat or cure illness. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, medication is "a substance used in treating a disease or relieving pain ". As defined by the National Cancer Institute, dosage forms of medication can include tablets, capsules, liquids, creams, and patches.

What is a drug class?

A drug class is a group of medications with similar properties. The three main methodologies used to classify drugs according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include: Mechanism of action: This is how the drug causes specific biochemical changes in the body (also known as pharmacokinetics ).

How do you classify medicines?

Other ways to classify medicines are by mode of action, route of administration, biological system affected, or therapeutic effects. An elaborate and widely used classification system is the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System. The World Health Organization keeps a list of essential medicines .

What is a consumer medicine information leaflet?

Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflets provide information about the medicine you are taking. Find out where to get a CMI and how to use them. You should tell your doctor or health professional about any problems with your medicine. It’s also helpful to report the problem to the TGA.

How do I search for a medicine?

Search medicine by active ingredient or brand name. Learn more about many types of medicines that are prescribed or recommended for treatment. Learn more about getting the most from your medicines.

What is a consumer medicines Information (CMI) document?

Where available, links to consumer medicines information (CMI) pdf documents are provided. A CMI document is written by the pharmaceutical company (sponsor) responsible for the medicine. CMIs are important because they provide information aimed at bringing about better health outcomes. Date the CMI was last updated.

Where can I find drug information online?

Drugs.com is the most popular, comprehensive and up-to-date source of drug information online. Providing free, peer-reviewed, accurate and independent data on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines & natural products.

Medications References

If you want to know more about Medications, consider exploring links below:

Explore Related Topics

Does antiviral therapy for herpes interact with other medications?

Examine the potential drug interactions between antiviral therapy for herpes and other medications, including over-the-counter drugs, supplements, and herbal remedies. Share insights, precautions, and strategies for safe medication use.