What’s It For?
You’d take this OTC drug for mild to moderate pain and to reduce fever
What is acetaminophen (Tylenol)? It turns down the brain’s thermostat when you have a fever and blocks pain signals, but it doesn’t reduce swelling.
Avoid this drug if you have liver disease or drink alcohol heavily.
What is acetaminophen (Tylenol)?
This pink medicine is not recommended for children due to a risk of Reye’s syndrome.
What is bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol)? It coats and soothes the stomach and fights some germs, but contains a chemical similar to aspirin that can be dangerous in kids (Reye’s syndrome risk)
Tylenol is the brand name. What is the generic?
What is acetaminophen?
Taking too much acetaminophen can damage this organ.
What is the liver?
This medicine helps loosen mucus and makes your cough more productive.
What is guaifenesin (Mucinex)? It makes your mucus thinner and easier to cough out, so you can clear out your chest more easily.
This OTC pain reliever can worsen stomach ulcers or bleeding risk.
What is ibuprofen (Advil)? It blocks the body’s pain and inflammation signal (prostaglandins), but it also reduces the protective lining in your stomach
Children under 4 should avoid this category of medicines, even though it’s often used for colds.
What are cough and cold medicines?
Advil is the brand name. What is the generic?
What is ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen can cause irritation or ulcers in this organ.
What is the stomach?
You take this when you have heartburn or acid indigestion.
What is an antacid (Tums)? They neutralize stomach acid on contact, like baking soda calming vinegar, so your heartburn feels better fast.
People with high blood pressure should be cautious using this decongestant.
What is pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)? It squeezes blood vessels in your nose to reduce swelling and congestion, but it can also raise your blood pressure.
This fever reducer is safe for infants but needs exact dosing.
What is acetaminophen (Tylenol)?
Claritin is the brand name. What is the generic?
What is loratadine?
This sedating antihistamine can cause confusion in older adults.
What is diphenhydramine (Benadryl)?
This antihistamine helps with seasonal allergies and doesn’t make you sleepy.
What is loratadine (Claritin)? Blocks the chemical that causes sneezing/runny nose without making you sleepy.
This sleep aid and allergy medicine can cause dangerous drowsiness in older adults.
What is diphenhydramine (Benadryl)? It blocks histamine (like Claritin does), but it also crosses into the brain and makes you sleepy — sometimes very sleepy.
This pain killer should not be used for children due to a risk of Reye’s syndrome.
What is aspirin? It thins the blood and reduces pain and inflammation — but in kids, it can trigger a rare but serious illness (Reye’s syndrome).
Zyrtec is the brand name. What is the generic?
What is cetirizine? Like loratadine, it blocks histamine to fight allergies — works a bit stronger but might cause slight drowsiness in some.
Mixing alcohol with this drug can dangerously increase drowsiness.
What is any sedating OTC (ie: diphenhydramine)?
This OTC drug is used to help treat diarrhea.
What is loperamide (Imodium)? It slows down how fast things move through your intestines.
This nasal spray can cause rebound congestion if used for more than 3 days.
What is oxymetazoline (Afrin)? It shrinks swollen blood vessels in the nose for fast relief, but using it for too long causes the nose to “rebound” and become even more congested.
This medicine can cause constipation and should be used carefully in children with diarrhea.
What is loperamide (Imodium)?
Pepto-Bismol is the brand name. What is the generic?
What is bismuth subsalicylate?
Taking decongestants and this chronic condition together can raise blood pressure.
What is hypertension?