SINCE World War II, medical science has progressed into a stage where competitive medications are available to treat the identical ailment in several people. This is simply not nearly brands (the industry trade issue) but generic drugs (the industry scientific issue). On this report, we shall look at the various factors that decide the selection of a specific drug.
Safety: The following sub-criteria have to be considered under the criterion of safety:
* Acute therapeutic index: If the patient’s condition is acute, how effective is really a particular drug even if it has certain side-effects as long as the acuteness in the condition is lowered? Example: narcotic pain-killers are very effective in healing pain but come with the opportunity side-effect of addiction.
* Long-term safety: medication may be safe in short-term treatment, so how safe it is in long-term treatment? Example: antibiotics are acceptable in short-term treatment, but can have undesirable effects in the case of prolonged use.
* Drug-drug interaction risk: Drugs are chemicals, and lots of chemicals reply to produce a different chemical, that have an effect which could harm the sufferer or aggravate his/her condition. Example: A tricyclic anti-depressant and alcohol interact to create a new condition that warrants separate treatment.
Drug-drug interaction risk is of two sorts:
· Pharmacokinetic: In this kind of drug-drug interaction, two drugs, outside of the other person, have certain effects one or even more body processes (e.g., metabolism) that affects the performance in the other. Example: Darvocet-N (propoxyphene and acetaminophen) inhibits the act of a liver enzyme that Lexapro (escitalopram) is dependent upon for its metabolism. This makes more the side-effects of Lexapro.
· Pharmacodynamic: Here, two or more drugs actually generate the same effect on the identical organ, thus increasing the total, added effect. Example: Lexapro has certain side-effects such as drowsiness and fatigue. Darvocet-N also acts similarly about the brain. Thus, the side-effects of both the medicines are more intense.
Tolerability: A medication may be effective but not tolerable by all patients. Example: Allergies to a particular drugs in certain people. Short-term and long-term tolerability have to be taken into consideration. Efficacy: A medication isn’t equally great at all patients. For instance, some patients with depression or anxiety attacks experience respite from escitalopram, but there are lots of that don’t, who therefore have to be prescribed a different anti-depressant. The pace of start of therapeutic action is an important key to be considered too.
Cost: Cost does not necessarily mean the expense of buying a certain medicine alone. It ought to also cover the expense of treatment of a complication which could arise from using a different drug. Example: Inside a individual that insists on taking alcohol but has to be treated for depression is generally administered an SSRI drug as these drugs don’t potentiate the consequences of alcohol, whereas another group of anti-depressants (such as tricyclics) may cause a brand new condition in such patients, which may demand a various and expensive treatment. Therefore, it’s preferable to prescribe the more expensive escitalopram instead of a cheaper tricyclic in such patients.
Simplicity of treatment: The easiest mode of administration is preferred. When there is a selection between an injection and oral administration, aforementioned is preferred if the efficacy of both the modes is comparable. Or, local application is chosen over the oral route where possible; e.g., antibiotic treatment of eye infections. Dosage and frequency of administration too are key point to make a decision simple treatment.
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