Beta blockers are a class of drugs that block beta-adrenergic substances such as adrenaline (epinephrine), a key agent in the "sympathetic" portion of the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system and activation of heart muscle. By blocking the action of the involuntary nervous system on the heart, beta blockers relieve stress on the heart.
Beta blockers are used for the treatment of irregular heart rhythms, chest pain, heart attack, hypertension, migraine headaches, social phobias, tremors, and glaucoma.

Common side effects of beta blockers are nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and weight gain if you are taking medicine for diabetes (type 1 and type 2). There are other important side effects and serious adverse effects of this drug class that include, blurred vision, insomnia, hair loss, disorientation, CNS system effects, and serious heart problems.

Beta blockers interact with several other drugs, for example, chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clonidine (Catapres), Phenobarbital, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin, and diabetes medications, including insulin.

Examples of generic and brand names available for beta blockers in the US include acebutolol (Sectral), atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta), metoprolol (Lopressor, Lopressor LA, Toprol XL), nadolol (Corgard), timolol (Blocadren). Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other medical professional if you have questions about beta-blockers.

If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US -Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Cefdinir (brand name Omnicef has been discontinued) is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections such as strep throat, E. coli, staph infections, streptococcus infections, ear infections, tonsillitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia. The most common side effects include

• diarrhea,
• abdominal pain,
• vomiting,
• rash,
• headache, and
• nausea.

Drug interactions include antacids that contain aluminum, magnesium, and iron supplements. Dosage, uses, storage, and pregnancy and breastfeeding safety information should be reviewed prior to taking any medication.

Ciprofloxacin (generic name), Cipro, Cipro XR (brand names) is an antibiotic prescribed for the treatment of many skin, lung, airway, bone, and joint infections caused by susceptible bacteria. Examples include:

• Complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Gonorrhea
• Chronic bacterial prostatitis
• Typhoid fever
• Chronic bronchitis
• Infectious diarrhea caused by E. coli, Shigella, and Campylobacter jejuni.
• Anthrax patients
• TB (tuberculosis)

Cipro should not be used for treating uncomplicated UTIs, acute bacterial chronic bronchitis, or acute bacterial sinusitis because of the serious side effects it may cause.

The FDA has issued a warning for fluoroquinolenes like Cipro because they have been associated with some serious adverse reactions, for example:

• Tendinitis or tendon rupture, particularly the Achilles tendon
• It can worsen weakness in people with a disease called myasthenia gravis.
• Peripheral neuropathy
• CNS problems, for example, nervousness, agitation, dizziness, paranoia, hallucinations, nightmares, and anxiety

Common side effects of include:

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Rash

Other possible serious side effects and adverse events include:

• Liver dysfunction or failure
• High blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
• Renal failure (kidney failure)
• Cardiac arrest
• Hepatitis
• Stroke
• Convulsions
• Seizures
• Jaundice
• Leukopenia
• C. difficile associated diarrhea.
• Respiratory failure
• Anaphylaxis (shock)

This medicine interacts with drugs, for example:

• Diabetes medications
• theophylline (Respbid, Slo-Bid, Theo-24, Theolair)
• warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven).
• Iron salts (sulfates)
• Sevelamer (Renagel)
• sildenafil (Viagra)

Doctors don't know if Cipro is safe to take if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. The dosage of this drug depends upon the type of bacterial infection you have. The brand name Proquin XR has been discontinued and is no longer available in the US.

Clonazepam (Klonopin) is an prescription medication used to treat panic disorder, certain types of seizures, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and the short-term relief of anxiety. Side effects include

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Rash
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Insomnia

Drug interactions, dosage, pregnancy and breastfeeding safety information should be reviewed prior to taking this medication.

Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:

• ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
• ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
• cap: Capsule.
• CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
• DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
• DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• HA: Headache
• IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
• JT: Joint
• N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
• p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
• q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
• RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
• SOB: Shortness of breath.
• T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."

Diflucan (fluconazole) is a drug prescribed to treat fungal infections caused by Candida, for example, vaginal, oral, esophageal, urinary tract, pneumonia, and peritonitis. Side effects include

• nausea,
• diarrhea,
• dizziness,
• rash,
• indigestion, and
• abdominal pain.

Drug interactions, and pregnancy and breastfeeding safety information should be reviewed prior to taking this medication.

Gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant, Fanatrex FusePag) is a drug prescribed for the treatment of seizure disorders, nerve damage from shingles and postherptic neuralgia. Off label uses of gabapentin include treatment for:

• Substance abuse withdrawal
• Hiccups
• RLS (restless legs syndrome)
• Headaches
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Hot flashes
• Fibromyalgia
• Hyperhydrosis

Common side effects include:

• Fatigue
• Drowsiness
• Fluid retention (edema)
• Hostility
• Nausea

Adverse reactions and serious side effects include:

• Motion sickness
• Blurred vision
• Viral infection

Gabapentin is available as capsules as 100, 300, and 400 mg; tablets as 100, 300, 400, 600, and 800 mg; and as a solution of 250 mg/5 ml. The exact dosage depends upon the condition being treated. It is not known if this drug is safe to take during pregnancy. It is secreted in breast milk, so mothers who are breastfeeding should consult their OB/GYN or other health care professional and only use this gabapentin if the benefits outweigh the risks to the fetus. Gabapentin is not a narcotic (opioid), however, it does share signs and symptoms associated with drug abuse and addiction. Patients taking this drug may experience withdrawal symptoms like goosebumps, sweating, vomiting, and nausea. Gabapentin was approved by the FDA in 1993.

Hydroxyzine (Vistaril) is a drug prescribed to treat itching caused by a variety of allergic conditions, nausea, vomiting, and alcohol withdrawal. Common side effects include:

• Dizziness
• Disturbed coordination
• Drying and thickening of oral and other respiratory secretions
• Stomach distress

Other important side effects include:

• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Tremor
• Seizure

Drug interactions, and pregnancy and breastfeeding safety information should be reviewed prior to taking this medication.

Levaquin (levofloxacin) is an antibiotic for treating bacterial infections of the sinuses, skin, lungs, ears, bones, airways, and joints. Levaquin is often used to treat:

• Urinary tract infections
• Prostatitis
• Diarrhea caused by E. coli
• Campylobacter jejuni
• Shigella
• Mastitis
• Acute bacterial sinusitis
• Acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis
• Proctatitis
• Anthrax inhalation
• Plague
• Complicated skin and skin structure infections like cellulitis, impetigo, and wound infections due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus pyogenes.

Common side effects are rash, intestinal gas, vaginal itching or discharge, headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Iron, calcium, zinc, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) interact with Levaquin. It also has been associated with tendonitis and tendon rupture; abnormal heart beats, and liver dysfunction. Levaquin is available as an oral solution of 25 mg/mL, clear greenish-yellow color. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care professional if you have any questions about this drug.

Prednisone is a drug that belongs to the corticosteroid drug class, and is an anti-inflammatory and immune system suppressant. It's used to treat a variety of diseases and conditions, for example: inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), lupus, asthma, cancers, and several types of arthritis.

Common side effects are weight gain, headache, fluid retention, and muscle weakness. Other effects and adverse events include glaucoma, cataracts, obesity, facial hair growth, moon face, and growth retardation in children. This medicine also causes psychiatric problems, for example: depression, insomnia, mood swings, personality changes, and psychotic behavior. Serious side effects include reactions to diabetes drugs, infections, and necrosis of the hips and joints.

Corticosteroids like prednisone, have many drug interactions; examples include: estrogens, phenytoin (Dilantin), diuretics, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), and diabetes drugs. Prednisone is available as tablets of 1, 2.5, 10, 20, and 50 mg; extended release tablets of 1, 2, and 5mg; and oral solution of 5mg/5ml. It's use during the first trimester of pregnancy may cause cleft palate. This medicine is secreted in breast milk and can cause side effects in infants who are nursing. You should not stop taking prednisone abruptly because it can cause withdrawal symptoms and adrenal failure. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other medical professional if you have questions about beta-blockers. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other medical professional if you have questions about prednisone.

If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US -Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Tramadol hydrochloride (Ultram) is a centrally acting opioid painkiller (analgesic) indicated for the management of moderate to moderately severe pain in adults. Pain relief (analgesia) begins approximately within one hour after administration and reaches a peak in approximately two to three hours. Apart from analgesia, tramadol administration may produce a constellation of symptoms (including dizziness, somnolence, nausea, constipation, sweating and pruritus) similar to that of other opioids. In contrast to morphine, tramadol has not been shown to cause histamine release. At therapeutic doses, tramadol has no effect on heart rate, left-ventricular function or cardiac index. Orthostatic hypotension has been observed.

Side effects of tramadol include:

• Dizziness/spinning sensation (vertigo)
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Headache
• Drowsiness
• Vomiting
• Itching
• Central nervous system (CNS) stimulation
• Weakness/lack of energy
• Sweating
• Indigestion/heartburn
• Dry Mouth
• Diarrhea

The dosage of tramadol should be started at 25 mg/day in the morning, and adjusted in 25 mg increments as separate doses every 3 days to reach 100 mg/day (25 mg four times daily). Thereafter the total daily dose may be increased by 50 mg as tolerated every 3 20days to reach 200 mg/day (50 mg four times daily). After adjustment, tramadol 50 to 100 mg can be administered as needed for pain relief every 4 to 6 hours not to exceed 400 mg/day. Tramadol is supplied in 50 mg tablets.

Withdrawal symptoms may occur if tramadol is discontinued abruptly. Reported withdrawal symptoms have included:

• Anxiety
• Sweating
• Insomnia
• Rigors
• Pain
• Nausea
• Tremors
• Diarrhea
• Upper respiratory symptoms
• Goose bumps (piloerections)
• Rarely hallucinations

There are reports of acute overdosage with tramadol. Signs and symptoms can manifest by respiratory depression, sleepiness progressing to stupor or coma, skeletal muscle flaccidity, cold and clammy skin, constricted pupils, seizures, slow heart rate, low blood pressure (hypotension), cardiac arrest, and death. Deaths due to overdose have been reported with abuse and misuse of tramadol.

Tramadol may interact with quinidine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, amitriptyline, ketoconazole, erythromycin, SSRIs, MAOIs, triptans, linezolid, lithium, St. John's wort, carbamazepine, rifampin, and digoxin. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of tramadol in pregnant women. Tramadol should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Neonatal seizures, neonatal withdrawal syndrome, fetal death and stillbirth have been reported during post-marketing. Tramadol is not recommended for obstetrical preoperative medication or for post-delivery analgesia in nursing mothers because its safety in infants and newborns has not been studied.

Other drugs in the same class as tramadol include codeine hydrocodone (Zohydro ER), oxycodone (OxyContin, Roxicodone), methadone hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo), morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MSIR, MS Contin), fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic). If you have questions about this drug talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or other medical professional.

REFERENCE: FDA Prescribing Information for tramadol.