Types of Medicines; An Informative Blog
A detailed article regarding medicines; the different types of medicines, types of medicine tablets and the common medicines list.
Medicines are consumed by almost everyone on a daily basis. Whether you have a cough or a flu, or something more complicated, there is a medicine available for catering to your problem. Gratitude to the pharmaceutical scientists that have made our lives convenient with the production of different types of medicines.
You’d find different types of medicines serving the same purpose but to know which would suit you the best, consult a doctor near you and always buy medicines on the given prescriptions.
In this article, we’ve compiled information regarding different types of medicines, types of medicine tablets and a common medicine list but before getting into that, let’s understand what medicines actually are.
What are Medicines?
Medicines are pharmaceutical drugs produced for providing cure to multiple illnesses that originate in the human body. Purpose of medicines is that they are chemical compounds that halt, fight or prevent diseases from spreading or worsening or to keep us from afflicting any illness in the first place. The usage of medicines has vastly increased with time.
According to statistics measured in 2019, the United States spends the most on pharmaceutical drugs\medicines.
These medicines have an active ingredient in them which activates when we consume a medicine and reacts in our body to make us feel better. These may be developed from extractions taken from nature such as plants or chemically made in laboratories by pharmacists.
Below are the different types of medicines, types of medicine tablets and a common medicine list.
What are the Different Types of Medicines?
Medicines are configured in different ways and compositions, hence you’d find an assortment of different types of medicines that we’ve mentioned below.
The Most Common Types of Medicines:
- Capsules:
These have a plastic-like outer.
How do capsules work?
Upon reaching the digestive tract, they commence their dissolving process and are absorbed in the bloodstream.
How to take capsules?
These are consumed orally. Most of them are to be swallowed whole but you can also open them and have them with water or scattered over food. Some can be chewed as well.
2. Liquid Medicines:
The active ingredient of which we mentioned above, is dissolved in a liquid composition. Some of the liquid medications are suspended in gelatin or some type of substance.
How do liquid medicines work?
The active ingredient is released as soon as they are consumed and get dissolved in the gastrointestinal from where the permeation of the liquid flows into the bloodstream.
How to take liquid medicines?
These are supposed to be consumed according to the mg prescribed by doctors or according to the age chart consumption table mentioned on the medicine bottles, with either a medicine cup, oral syringe or spoon.
- Tablets:
These are consumed whole orally.
How do tablets work?
The pill or tablet when swallowed, first reaches the stomach, then the small intestine and then into the liver. From there the tablet gets dissolved and lets out its remnants into the blood. There are different types of tablets that we’re going to mention below.
How to take tablets?
Some people break them into halves or even crush them if they find it difficult to consume it whole.
- Topical Medicines:
These are the medicines that are applied on a specific part of your body. These may be gels, creams, ointments, lotions or foams. The active ingredient is mixed with the substance and is filled in tubes or bottles.
How do topical medicines work?
When applied on the affected area, the skin absorbs it and then the components flow into the bloodstream.
How to use topical medicines?
Just massage them with clean hands on the affected area.
- Rectal medicines:
These are moulded into an oval or bullet shape to easily input them in our body. Types of rectal medicines are suppositories or enemas.
How do rectal medicines work?
These are absorbed in the rectum and then flowed into the body’s bloodstream.
How to use rectal medicines?
These are administered in the rectum of our body, not through our mouths.
Other Different Types of Medicines:
- Drops:
You can figure out that they are liquid substances by the name of it. If your eyes, ears or nose have been infected, you can administer them directly.
How to use drops?
These are easy to put in your ear, nose or eyes. Normally one or two drops are prescribed to be administered in the infected organ. Do it with clean hands.
- Powder or Granule Medicines:
In some medicines, the active ingredient is mixed in a powder form substance and are taken orally.
How to have Powder Medicines?
These are to be consumed according to the quantity prescribed by your doctor, either directly with water or mixed in food.
- Asthma Inhaler:
This is a device that has a medicine present in it which helps you in breathing. They are mainly made for people with asthma.
How do inhalers work?
These relax the muscles present in our airways which get tightened and lead towards shortness of breath. These increase the flow of breathing.
How to use inhalers?
They are inhaled through the mouth and are difficult to use. If you’re looking for how to use inhalers, click here for an easy tutorial.
- Injections:
A lot of us freak out just by the name of it. There are different types of injections, all for different purposes and treatments. Vaccines are injected through injections too. They are also injected in different parts of our body such as upperhands, just below the palm veins, buttocks etc.
Types of Medicine Tablets
There are four types of medicine tablets commonly known:
Orally Dissolving Tablets:
These work the fastest as they are dissolved right on the tongue from where they flow into the bloodstream and start showing its comforting effects. This type of medicine tablet is available for migraine or nauseous purposes.
Chewable Tablets:
These are supposed to be chewed first and then the particles are carried to the digestive tract and are absorbed fast. You can see the effects shortly.
Effervescent Tablets:
These are designed to be dissolved in water or any other kind of liquid substance, (mostly release carbon dioxide) and consumed.
Sublingual Tablets:
These easily melt in the mouth and are placed beneath the tongue. They dissolve rapidly.
12 Most Common Medicines List Categories:
The 12 most common medicines list categories are:
- Painkillers:
These are used to cure pain in different parts of the body such as; headache, backache. Available in tablets, liquids and capsules form.
- Antidepressants:
These are used to cure clinical depression or various conditions like OCD or anxiety.
- Anti – Allergy:
These medicines are used to provide relief for a brief time from illness such as flu, cold, bronchitis or some type of allergy.
- Anti Infective:
These medications are for stopping the spread or terminating any infectious disease.
- Anti Diabetics:
This medication is commonly used by diabetic patients for treating diabetes. It keeps the blood glucose levels in control.
- Anti Hypertensives:
This is for the treatment of hypertension, that is high blood pressure. It keeps the blood pressure normal to refrain from any complications such as stroke.
- Multivitamins:
Multivitamins are the type of medicines that are helpful for supplying the body with provided vitamins and minerals. You can have them on a daily basis as well.
- Gastrointestinal:
These are manufactured for treating gastrointestinal problems such as acid reflux, GERD, or heartache.
- Psychotherapeutic:
This type of medication is taken to treat psychosis\ mental disorders such as schizophrenia, depression.
- Cardiovascular:
Treats medical conditions that are related to the human heart or circulatory system such as stroke, blood clots.
- Hormonal:
This medication is given for treating any kind of hormonal imbalances.
Some Takeaway Tips:
Do not take medicines without the consultation and prescription of a practicing doctor. You never know what kind of reaction certain medicines could do to you. It is always safe to tell your doctor about any underlying conditions that you might have and he’d prescribe you the medicine for your problem accordingly. Always keep a pack of painkillers and the medicines from the common medicines list with you at home so that general conditions like headache and backache can be cured without the hassle of visiting a doctor.