Prescribed Pills: What Are They? (USA Specific) Quiz

Answer: Xanax

Xanax's most common generic name is Alprazolam. It is a triazolo analog of the 1,4 benzodiazepine class. Other benzodiazepine drugs are Klonopin and Valium. They are addictive drugs that are used to treat anxiety disorders, but can be easily abused and then can produce physical withdrawal symptoms. St. John's Wort is a herb which is unlikely to be prescribed by a doctor.

Answer: Penicillin

Penicillin is considered the first miracle drug, but could have been called "miracle fungi". Penicillin is isolated from a mold, "penicillium notatum." It is used to fight "germs" or microbes that enter your body. However, it is unsuccessful in fighting viral infections. Viruses are usually smaller than the bacteria in bacterial illnesses. The immune system fights off viruses.

Answer: Prilosec

Prilosec or Omeprazole is to help stop acid reflux, which is a form of severe heartburn. It is also called G.E.R.D. (gastroesophageal reflux disease).
The others are S.S.R.I.'s or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. These are commonly prescribed by doctors today to help elevate one's mood by blocking serotonin from being sent back through the transmitters. :) Effexor is an SNRI because it not only inhibits serotonin reuptake, but norepinephrine reuptake as well. Prozac is still probably the most noted name.

Answer: False

Ocufen is an anti-inflammatory drug. Its chemical name is Sodium (+)-2-fluoro-a-methyl-4-biphenyl-acetate dihydrate (you can find more of this information here: http://www.pharmacynetworkgroup.com/d/ocufen-description-1.htm.
This is prescribed many times by doctors in hospitals after car accidents. It is also used for burning or stinging of the epidermis.

Answer: Vicodin

Vicodin (Hydrocodone bitartrate) can become addictive to the person taking it before they even notice it. There is documentation of people taking over one hundred Vicodin pills a day. It is also stated to be as hard to recover from as a heroin addiction. For more on this, you can visit this website: http://www.vicodin-addiction.com/.

It is where I got most of my information for this question.

Answer: True

MDMA is more commonly known by its "street name": Ecstasy. In 1972, therapists would prescribe MDMA to couples that were having trouble in their marriages to "take the edge off." It was banned in 1985 and has become the drug of choice in underground raves. Pills that are sold at "raves", that are referred to as ecstasy, could be and usually are cut with any other drugs.

It is very dangerous to buy something that you do not know the ingredients of, and deaths involving ecstasy are usually not due to purely MDMA.

Answer: Depakote

Depakote (divalproex sodium) and Lithium (Lithium carbonate) are used most commonly to battle bi-polar disorder. This is also known as manic depression. People that suffer from this disorder go to extremes of mania (pressured and forced speech, motor hyperactivity, reduced need for sleep) and depression (hopelessness, inability to deal with cause and effect). Depakote helps to even the individual's mood. Depakote is not FDA approved however.

Answer: Yasmin

Yasmin (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol) contains a different type of progestin, which is a hormone. All birth control pills contain hormones that imitate the hormones that a woman's body normally produces.

Answer: Within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse

An example of this highly controversial pill is Previn, marketed by Gynétics. It is suggested to take high doses of the pills within 72 hours and a second dose 12 hours later. There is a lot of controversy surrounding Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs).

Answer: Avoid chocolate

There are several labels that are often placed on pill bottles in pharmacies everywhere. Chocolate would usually fall into a category such as dairy and would have a more general warning. There are some drugs used to treat depression where eating excessive amounts of chocolate could cause blood pressure problems and pharmacists should always ask if the person picking up the medicine has any questions.