Medications

Question 1

Antibiotics

Answer 1

Prophylaxis (prevent bacterial infections)
Empirical treatment (based on likely bacterial pathogens)
Directed therapy (treating a known organism)
Oral or intravenous
Choose antibiotics
- indication (severity and site of infection)
- spectrum of activity of the antibiotics
- drug interactions
- cost
- patient specific factors: recent antibiotic use, allergies, side effects, pregnancy, swallow ability

Question 2

Oral antibiotics

Answer 2

• amoxicillin/ clavulanic acid (augmentin)
  Pneumonia and UTIs
• cephalexin
  UTIs and skin infections
• ciprofloxacin
  Complicated UTIs, bone and joint infections, usually used if amoxicillin and cephalexin not effective. Not used if doesn’t have to be because antibiotic for a bacteria which doesn’t have any other treatment- resistance
• clindamycin
  Skin and bone infections

- Doxycycline 
Pneumonia 
COPD exacerbation 
Acne
Bronchitis / sinusitis 

• metronidazole
  Intra abdominal infections
  Clostridium diffivile infections (C diff, extreme diarrhoea)

Question 3

Common IV antibiotics

Answer 3

• azithromycin
  Pneumonia
• cefazolin
  Surgical prophylaxis
  Skin infections
• ceftriaxone
  Pneumonia
  UTIs
• flucloxacillin
  Skin infections
• meropenem
  Broad spectrum
• vancomvn
  Surgical prophylaxis, resistant infections. Lot of strains so good to treat f we do not know where the infection is coming from- but can cause high resistance

Question 4

Common side effects of antibiotics

Answer 4

diarrhoea
Nausea
Allergic reactions

Eg.
Metronidazole- metallic taste, furry tongue
Doxycycline - eligastric burning, ulcers. Don’t lie down after consumption

Question 5

Analgesics - paracetamol

Answer 5

Indications: pain and fever
Not just for mild pain
Side effects: liver toxicity (normally only when someone takes too much)

Question 6

Analgesics NSAIDSs (anti inflammatories)

Answer 6

Eg. Ibuprofen (nurofen), diclofenac (voltaren), and aspirin (aspro)
Indications: pain especially due to inflammation eg period pain and arthritis
Side effects: nausea, heartburn, GI bleeding and ulcers, salt and fluid retention
Take with food

Question 7

Analgesics - opioids

Answer 7

Examples- oxycodon (ending, OxyContin and targin), codeine (panadeine forte with paracetamol), morphine and fentanyl
Indication: strong pain
Side effects: drowsiness, dizziness, constipation and nausea

Question 8

VTE prophylaxis (anticoagulants)

Answer 8

Eg heparin and enoxaparin
Indication: to prevent blood clots in patients deemed to be at high risk (lots of hospital in patients)
Side effects: bleeding, pain and/ or bruising at injection site

Question 9

Steroids

Answer 9

Eg prednisoline and dexamethasone 
Indications: inflammation eg exacerbation of COPD of other inflammatory disease 
Side effects: 
Nausea and vomiting 
Insomnia 
Mood changes 
Increased appetite

Question 10

Anti emetics

Answer 10

Eg. Metoclopramide (can’t take with Parkinson’s) (maxalon, pramin)
Domperidone (motilium) and ondansetron (zofran)
Indication: to prevent or treat nausea and/ or vomiting, some can also be used for gastroparesis
Side effects: drowsiness, dizziness, headache, constipation

Question 11

Laxatives

Answer 11

Eg docusate and senna (works best against opioids, stimulant laxative, works fast and effective) movicol, lactulose. Slower release more general on stomach
Indications: prevention and treatment of constipation
Reliance on stimulants laxatives can cause bowels to become lazy