Have you ever noticed when you request a certain medication that your Physician may leave the room before writing out the prescription? Chances are they are looking something up in the PDR before producing the Rx. I have observed my Physician utilizing a PDR when deciding on which medication to use in treating my asthma and eczema. When I visit my Dermatologist he seems more interested in knowing which Insurance Company I am with and then can recite which prescription drugs they approve.

The PDR Family Guide to Prescription Drugs is comprised of several sections with the first a listing of the contributors to the book and followed by directions on how to utilize the book. The drug identification guide consists of sixteen pages alphabetized according to the pharmaceutical company/manufacturer. For example, Zoloft, Sertraline Hcl, Pfizer, a blue caplet is 50mg with a yellow one being 100mg. They will show what forms this prescriptive drug comes in, colors and various doses by the pharmaceutical company.

This guide helps patients that might have a hard time swallowing certain types of pills and need a capsule or caplet. I have used atarax for years due to my eczema. I call them the anti-itch pills but they knock you out for around twelve hours. By looking first in the identification guide I saw that there was a 10mg dose available, so my Doctor changed my prescription from the 25mg to the 10mg; and the option of taking one to three tablets prior to bedtime.

The bulk of The PDR Family Guide to Prescription Drugs is the alphabetized drug profiles starting with Accolate. I have taken this for my asthma and my Dermatologist prescribed me this for my eczema. I was not comfortable taking this for something other than asthma and did not read anything in the book relating to the skin problems so I never took them. My Dermatologist tries lots of drugs to help alleviate the symptoms that are from my eczema. I feel better reading about them before taking in The PDR® Family Guide to Prescription Drugs.

The format of the guide in the profile section is as follows:

Brand Name
Pronounced
Generic Name

Why is this drug prescribed?
Most Important fact about this drug?
How should you take this medication?

If you miss a dose…
Storage instructions…

What side effects may occur?
More common side effects may include
Less common side effects may include
Rare side effects may include?

Why should this drug not be prescribed?
Special warnings about this medication

Possible food and drug interactions when taking this medication
Special information If you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Recommended dosage
Adults
High Blood Pressure
Children
Overdosage
Symptoms of overdose may include


Since I have two autistic children I had heard over the years of many prescription drugs that are used in the treatment of various issues pertaining to the disability. By utilizing the guide I learned what works in the medical field before I even considered medicating my younger son. The photographs help identify medicines and a good idea to double-check what medicine should look like against the guide.

There is a Disease Overview section that covers 23 chapters. I perused the Digestive Disorders chapter before a GI Consultation for my son. When there was an outbreak of Chicken Pox the Childhood Infections chapter came in handy. The chapter on Emotional and Psychological discusses Schizophrenia and refers to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as the bible for mental illness. The Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) is known as the “bible” in its discipline.

At the back of the guide is Appendix A, safe medication use, with tips on talking with your doctor and pharmacist. Appendix B is a state listing of Poison Control Centers. Many years ago when I was living with my parents my father pulled up in the driveway and I happened to notice he slumped over in his seat. We called the poison control center and learned my father had inhaled some toxic paint fumes. These numbers are very important to keep and note close to your phone.

The next index is for searching specific diseases and disorders. There will be a listing of which prescription drugs are used for this treatment and the page to read further. Some of the topics include Insomnia, Panic Disorders, Menopause, Obesity and Wheezing. The general index is where you would search for a particular drug or ailment. These include Arthritis, Antibiotics for ulcers, Burcitis, Cefzil, Gigantism, Heart Valve Replacement, Pancreatic Cancer, Remeron and Vomiting as a symptom of Mumps.

There is also a listing of new drugs listed in each new edition at the end of the contents page, then the page number to find the listings and descriptions. highly suggest families to purchase The PDR® Family Guide to Prescription Drugs for their home health library. This covers children and adults, both male and female. I use it almost on a daily basis to look something up and learn about illnesses and drugs.

For a family that may be taking in an elderly family member this would be most useful in organizing the prescriptions and making a daily schedule of when to take them and where to store them. If you are a home health provider or studying to work in the health field this would be a vital guide in helping you learn the various brands of drugs used. This guide is an extensive overview of drugs that are used for migraines, asthma, AIDS, liver disease and treating high blood pressure and Alzheimer’s.


The PDR® Family Guide to Prescription Drugs is available at Amazon.

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