Prescription Drugs Reviews and Comparisons

• Adjuvant analgesics overview Adjuvant analgesics are used primarily for treating conditions other than pain. Adjuvant analgesics comprise a various group of medications with different primary indications and include triclyclic antidepressants, antiepileptics, muscle relaxants.
• Differences between Opioid and Non-opioid Analgesics There are two primary types of analgesics: narcotic (opioid) and non-narcotic (nonopioid) analgesics. Non-narcotic analgesics have principally analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory actions. Opioids are stronger and are used when pain signals are too severe to be controlled by non-narcotic analgesics. The primary difference has to do with the way how they produce their analgesic effects.
• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Comparison (NSAIDs) are among the most commonly used categories of drugs worldwide in the treatment of pain and inflammation.
• Types of Pain Medications also known as analgesics. They either stop pain signals from going to the brain or alter the brain’s interpretation of those signals.
• Tramadol vs Other Analgesics Tramadol hydrochloride is an orally active, centrally acting analgesic introduced in July 1994. It has been used in post-surgical, obstetric, and chronic pain of mechanical and neurogenic origin.
• Tramadol (Ultram) versus Other including morphine, metamizole, pentazocine, meperidine, oxycodone, ketorolac for postoperative, musculoskeletal, and labour pain, renal colic, and other conditions.

• Topiramate (Topamax) versus Other How does Topiramate compares to carbamazepine, fluvoxamine, gabapentin in the treatment of pathological gambling, epilepsy, prevention of migraine.

• Antibiotics for Acne (also called acne vulgaris) a common skin disease characterized by clogged pores and pimples, blackheads, or red, swollen bumps.
• Antibiotics for Strep Throat, also called streptococcal pharyngitis, an infection with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus bacteria. Antibiotics use in strep throat - dosages, efficacy, and side effects.
• Cephalosporin Antibiotics are the largest class of antibiotics. Cephalosporin compounds were first isolated from cultures of Cephalosporium acremonium from a sewer in Sardinia in 1948 by Italian scientist Giuseppe Brotzu. The first agent cephalothin (cefalotin) was launched in 1964.
• Comparison of Macrolide Antibiotics which belong to one of the most commonly used families of antibiotics used to treat infections. Currently available macrolides in common use in the United States are erythromycin and the newer agents clarithromycin and azithromycin.
• Penicillins - classification, mode of action, spectrum of activity of each subclass.

Comparisons of antibiotics efficacy, side effects in the treatment of specific infections.

• Amoxicillin (Amoxil) versus penicillin, augmentin, clarithromycin, cefuroxime, minocycline, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin.
• Augmentin versus amoxicillin, penicillin V, clarithromycin, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin.
• Azithromycin (Zithromax) versus clarithromycin, doxycycline, minocycline, penicillin, cefadroxil, cefdinir, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin.
• Cefuroxime (Ceftin) versus cefaclor, cefixime, cafadroxil, penicillin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin
• Cephalexin (Keflex) versus cefadroxil, cefdinir, cephradine, penicillin, ofloxacin, and minocycline.
• Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) versus levofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, amoxicillin, clarithromycin, doxycycline, cefotaxime.
• Doxycycline (Doryx) versus minocycline, tetracycline, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime, amoxicillin.
• Levofloxacin (Levaquin) versus ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, cefuroxime, and cefdinir.
• Linezolid (Zyvox) versus teicoplanin (Targocid), vancomycin, cefadroxil (Duricef), augmentin, and clarithromycin.
• Metronidazole (Flagyl) versus ciprofloxacin, albendazole, and vancomycin.
• Minocycline (Dynacin) versus doxycycline, tetracycline, azithromycin, amoxicillin and cephalexin.
• Penicillin VK versus amoxicillin, clarithromycin, cefuroxime, cefaclor, cefadroxil, ciprofloxacin, and clindamycin.

• Antidepressants Comparison: Effexor vs Cymbalta Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are a class of antidepressant used to treat depression and other affective disorders.
• Comparing Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) to Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) The two most common groups.
• Comparison of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) The most significant class of antidepressants marketed in recent years.

Comparisons of antidepressants efficacy, side effects in the treatment of specific conditions.

• Amitriptyline (Elavil) versus gabapentin, desipramine, fluoxetine, venlafaxine, citalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, and trazodone.
• Bupropion (Wellbutrin) versus fluoxetine, escitalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, and trazodone.
• Citalopram (Celexa) versus reboxetine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, escitalopram, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, mirtazapine.
• Duloxetine (Cymbalta) versus escitalopram, paroxetine, and venlafaxine.
• Escitalopram (Lexapro) versus citalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, and duloxetine.
• Fluoxetine (Prozac) versus citalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, bupropion, amitriptyline, and mirtazapine.
• Paroxetine (Paxil) versus citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, duloxetine, bupropion, amitriptyline, mirtazapine, and trazodone.
• Sertraline (Zoloft) versus amitriptyline, imipramine, nortriptyline, venlafaxine, paroxetine, fluoxetine, escitaloptam, citaloptam, bupropion, and trazodone.
• Trazodone (Desyrel) versus fluoxetine, gabapentin, paroxetine, imipramine, sertraline, amitriptyline, venlafaxine, and mirtazapine
• Venlafaxine (Effexor) versus escitalopram, fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, duloxetine, bupropion, amitriptyline, mirtazapine, trazodone

• Birth Control Pills Advantages and Disadvantages Oral contraceptives consist of synthetic forms of two hormones produced naturally in the body: either progestin alone or estrogen and progestin. Estrogen and progestin regulate a woman's menstrual cycle, and the fluctuating levels of these hormones play an essential role in fertility.

Comparisons of Finasteride with other medications in the treatment of hair loss, and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• Finasteride (Propecia) versus minoxidil, dutasteride, tamsulosin, and terazosin.

• Comparison of Herpes Antiviral Drugs The major drugs developed to work against herpes simplex virus (HSV) include acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir. All three oral antivirals are very effective and reasonably safe. They differ in their chemical structure and dosage.
• Acyclovir (Zovirax) versus valaciclovir, famciclovir, and penciclovir
• Valacyclovir (Valtrex) versus acyclovir and famciclovir.

• Comparison of muscle relaxers for muscular pain or spasms This review examines the efficacy, side effects, and safety of three commonly prescribed skeletal muscle relaxants.
• Carisoprodol (Soma) versus cyclobenzaprine, diazepam, butabarbital
• Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) versus carisoprodol, naproxen
• Gabapentin (Neurontin) versus amitriptyline, nortriptyline, lamotrigine, carbamazepine, ropinirole, bupropion.

• Comparison of Sleeping Pills: Which is The Best and The Worst? This review examines the use of the most common sleeping pills and their benefits and drawbacks. Comparison of effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of non-benzodiazepines - zolpidem (Ambien), eszopiclone (Lunesta), zaleplon (Sonata), and ramelteon (Rozerem); Sedative antidepressants - amitriptyline (Elavil) anddoxepin (Sinequan).

• Orlistat (Xenical) versus sibutramine - comparison of weight loss efficacy, side effects, extra health benefits.