Many drugs are available by prescription only. Theses drugs are potent and may be dangerous if taken in an overdose. Some are addictive; therefore, their use must be strictly controlled. A patient can buy these medicines only if a doctor writes a prescription (or order) for a pharmacist to fill.
Many other drugs that do not require a doctor's prescription are available in pharmacies (drugstores). One of the most well-known and widely used is aspirin. Aspirin has long been taken to relieve pain and reduce inflammation and fever. However, in recent years, a valuable new use for it has been discovered. Many patients with heart conditions take aspirin on a daily basis because its blood-thinning properties lower the risk of heart attack.
Many other over-the-counter (nonprescription) medications are used (and often overused) by the general public, including laxatives (to relieve constipation),tranquilizers, sedatives, sleeping pills, and pep pills (stimulants). These drugs enable people to handle minor medical problems without spending money or time consulting a doctor. However, many people waste money on drugs that do not help their specific condition or that may even do more harm than good.
Of course, medication is just one of many ways to treat illness. Among the other tools which physicians use are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, special equipment prescribed for patient use, and nonmedical recommendations for a change in a patient's lifestyle (following special diets, increasing or altering habits of exercise, moving to a different climate, decreasing workload and stress, and so on.).
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