Ketorolac

Ketorolac, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used in the short-term management of severe, acute pain, as well as for the short-term treatment of itchy eyes caused by seasonal allergies. Ketorolac relieves pain and reduces fever and inflammation by blocking the production of prostaglandins. It is sometimes used with a narcotic to provide better pain relief than either drug alone can offer.

This drug is available by prescription only as an injectable liquid, tablets and eye drops. The effectiveness of all forms is usually apparent in 30 to 60 minutes.

Ketorolac should be used with caution by patients with known bleeding disorders or sensitivities to other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as by patients with a history of alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus, edema, kidney or liver disease, lupus erythematosus, asthma, colitis, heart disease, or high blood pressure. The safety of this drug for pregnant or breast-feeding women or for children has not been determined. The eyedrop solution should not be used by patients wearing contact lenses. Abdominal or stomach pain, bruising at the site of injection, drowsiness, indigestion, and nausea are the most common side effects of both the oral and injected forms of the drug. Less common side effects are bloating or gas, burning or pain at the injection site, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, a feeling of fullness in the abdominal or stomach area, headache, increased sweating, vomiting, edema, decrease in urine output, renal failure, and gastrointestinal bleeding, ulceration, and perforation.

A temporary stinging and burning sensation in the eye is the most common side effect of the eyedrop solution. Less common side effects are eye irritation, allergic reactions, superficial eye infections, and superficial inflammation of the eye’s cornea.

Ketorolac may interact adversely with aspirin, acetaminophen, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, as well as with lithium, methotrexate, probenecid, ketoprofen, nabumetone, naproxen, and oxaprozin. Use of ketorolac with blood-thinning drugs, cefamandole, cefoperazone, cefotetan, heparin, moxalactam, plicamycin, or valproic acid may increase risk of bleeding.

Brand Names: Acular, Toradol

Ketoprofen

Ketoprofen, drug used to reduce the inflammation, fever, and pain associated with such diseases as arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, and menstrual cramps. Ketoprofen is believed to work by preventing prostaglandins (chemicals that cause inflammation and contribute to the brain’s perception of pain) from concentrating in body tissues.

Ketoprofen is available by prescription in capsule, tablet, and suppository form. The drug is taken daily in 3 or 4 doses for a total of 150 to 300 mg. It is most effectively absorbed if taken on an empty stomach, but it can be taken with food, milk, or an antacid to prevent stomach irritation. The patient must take ketoprofen for one to three weeks before physicians can evaluate its effectiveness.

Possible side effects include drowsiness, fluid retention, skin rash, headache, depression, indigestion, and nausea. Men may experience problems with sexual performance and breast enlargement. Women may find their menstrual cycles affected, with increased blood flow during menstruation.

Pregnant women should not use ketoprofen in the third trimester of pregnancy. Breast-feeding women, patients with allergies to the drug, those who suffer asthma with aspirin use, and patients with ulcers, bleeding disorders, impaired kidney function, or liver disease should not take ketoprofen.

Ketoprofen may have negative effects when taken with other anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, aspirin, insulin, phenytoin, verapamil, nifedipine, lithium, and diuretics. Alcoholic beverages can increase the risk of ulcers or bleeding in the stomach.

Brand Name: Orudis

Ketoconazole

Ketoconazole, prescription drug used to treat fungal infections. It works by weakening fungal cell walls, thereby either killing the fungus or stopping its growth. Ketoconazole is also used to treat prostate cancer because it suppresses the production of testosterone, a hormone necessary for prostate cancer cell survival.

Ketoconazole is available as a tablet, cream, or shampoo. Patients using the drug in tablet form take 200 to 400 mg once a day for fungal infections and 400 mg three times a day for prostate cancer. The drug should be taken with food for better absorption and to avoid stomach irritation. It must be taken for two to four weeks before a physician can evaluate its effectiveness as an antifungal agent. A cure may require many months of treatment.

Common side effects of ketoconazole include reduced testosterone production (which may impair sexual function in males), skin irritation and rash, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and liver problems. Pregnant and nursing women, patients with active liver disease, and patients who have previously had an allergic reaction to the drug should not take ketoconazole. Patients should exercise caution in taking the drug if they are allergic to related antifungal drugs, take any other drugs, have liver disease or reduced liver function, have a history of alcoholism, or have low levels of hydrochloric acid in their stomachs.

Ketoconazole enhances the blood-thinning effects of warfarin and minimizes the effects of theophylline. Antacids may lessen ketoconazole’s effectiveness. Patients who consume alcohol while taking this drug may experience dizziness, headaches, and nausea. Alcohol in combination with ketoconazole can also contribute to liver problems.

Brand Name:Nizoral

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), also known as spastic colon, recurring symptoms of constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping that appear without a clear cause

The diarrhea associated with IBS is not true diarrhea in that there is no increase in stool volume. Patients sometimes pass mucus with the stools and have a sensation of incomplete evacuation of the bowels following defecation.

Recurring IBS has been associated with stress, although abdominal distress is a common reaction to anxiety in many people who do not suffer from IBS.

Physicians diagnose IBS only after conducting a series of tests that rule out other gastrointestinal disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal parasites, and polyps. These tests include a barium enema, stool parasite culture, and sigmoidoscopy, examination of the lower intestines with a hollow, tubelike instrument passed through the anus.

There is no cure for IBS and treatment focuses on alleviating symptoms. High fiber diets or antispasmodic drugs may relieve constipation, and antidiarrheal drugs may alleviate prolonged diarrhea. Although there is no scientific evidence linking irritable bowel syndrome and the amount of fiber in the diet, some people benefit from eating a high-fiber diet, while others find reducing their carbohydrate intake helps.

Influenza

Influenza, also known as flu, contagious infection primarily of the respiratory tract. Influenza is sometimes referred to as grippe. Influenza is caused by a virus transmitted from one person to another in droplets coughed or sneezed into the air. It is characterized by coldlike symptoms plus chills, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue. Most people recover completely in about a week. But some people are vulnerable to complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia. This group includes children with asthma, people with heart or lung disease, and the elderly.

Influenza is an acute disease with a rapid onset and pronounced symptoms. After the influenza virus invades a person’s body, an incubation period of one to two days passes before symptoms appear. Classic symptoms include sore throat, dry cough, stuffed or runny nose, chills, fever with temperatures as high as 39º C (103º F), aching muscles and joints, headache, loss of appetite, occasional nausea and vomiting, and fatigue. For most people flu symptoms begin to subside after two to three days and disappear in seven to ten days. However, coughing and fatigue may persist for two or more weeks.

There is no specific cure for influenza. Recommended treatment usually consists of bed rest and increased intake of nonalcoholic fluids until fever and other symptoms lessen in severity. Certain drugs have been found effective in lessening flu symptoms, but medical efforts against the disease focus chiefly on prevention by means of vaccines that create immunity.