This handbook offers a quick guide to possible adverse effects
of drug interactions, with brief recommendations for precautionary measures. References are given to original reports that
provide more complete discussions of each interaction.
This book— lists adverse drug interactions, their mechanisms,
and recommendations for clinical management. These listings
are usually based on clinical reports in humans.
Reports of interactions between more than two drugs are
appearing in the medical literature with increasing frequency.
Where these have been documented, they are noted as
comments under interacting pairs of drugs. Interactions listed
for groups of drugs (such as “cephalosporins” or “antidepressants, tricyclic”) may not have been reported for every drug in
the group; known exceptions to the interaction are noted.
It is not possible to determine the frequency of most interactions. When an interaction is documented by one or two case
reports rather than by clinical studies or reports in many
patients, the year of each report is given as some indication of
frequency.
Omissions—Drugs for which we have no documented
interaction are not included. New adverse interactions are
continually being reported; the absence of an interaction does
not necessarily mean that drugs will not interact when given
concurrently. Interactions between general anesthetics and
drugs likely to be administered during surgery, such as
autonomic drugs and local anesthetics, are not included here.
Interactions useful in therapy, such as increased plasma
concentration of penicillin with concurrent use of probenecid,
are also not included.
Common additive effects, such as occur with the use of two
2
Introduction
antihypertensive agents or two central-nervous-system
depressants, are generally not included. Effects expected from
the mechanism of a drug’s action, such as that of potassium on
digitalis glycosides or calcium on calcium-entry blockers, and
useful antagonist effects, such as that between a poison and an
antidote, are not listed. Most interactions of drugs with foods,
beverages, or other nutrients are not included, but foods
interacting with monoamine oxidase inhibitors are included.
Mechanisms of Interaction—Genetic differences can affect
drug metabolism and interactions. Drugs can interact by
changing the metabolism of other drugs, either through
inhibition or induction of any of several hepatic enzyme
activities or through alterations in hepatic blood flow; by altering
the binding of other drugs to plasma proteins or tissue
receptors; by altering the distribution of drugs to active receptor
sites; by delaying or enhancing excretion; or by causing additive
or synergistic effects.
Recommendations—Monitoring is most important when one of
the interacting drugs is stopped or started. Some experienced
clinicians may prefer to monitor the patient’s clinical status
rather than follow serum concentration of drugs.
Important Notice: The Medical Letter Drug Interactions
Program reports interactions occurring in people, which
can be documented primarily by published reports.
These may not include interactions mentioned in other
sources, such as the manufacturer’s package insert,
which are extrapolated from animal studies or interac-
tions reported for related drugs.
3
Introduction
What the
The Medical Letter® Handbook of Adverse Drug
Interactions
Using the
• find brand name drugs, generic drugs, drug
groups, and food groups,
• correct and find drug name spellings,
• find foods that interact with MAO inhibitors,
• enter up to 20 drugs and see a list of the
interactions between them,
• enter a single drug and see a list of the drugs
with which it interacts,
• read descriptions and references about
interactions, and
• look up drugs and words in related digital books.
Read this User’s Manual to learn how. You can
follow its numbered steps using the examples
shown or drugs that interest you.
Handbook
digital book is a powerful reference.
Handbook
, you can. . .
Can Do
4
Introduction
How the
The
Handbook
Highlight the HADI symbol. Then press .
At the main drug list,As you type, the drug
type a drug name.name is highlighted.
Then press .
Type another drugYou see a prompt
name. Press .to “show interactions.”
Press .You see the interactions,
Press .You see a description of
Press .You’re ready to find
Handbook
is easy to use. Here are the basics:
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
CLEAR
Works
if any, between the drugs.
the interaction.
other interactions.
ENTER
About Illustrations
The illustrations in this User’s Manual are from
the 1992 edition of the
information that you see on screen may be
different.
Handbook
. The
5
Getting Started
If you’re using the
this section. WARNING: If you install the
with the Digital Book System on, information that you
entered in the other installed book may be erased.
Handbook
for the first time, read
Handbook
1. Turn the Digital Book System off.
2. Put the
Handbook
in either slot on the
back of the Digital Book System.
Align the book’s tabs with the notches in the slot.
Make sure its metal contacts face down.
3. Press .
ON/OFF
4. To adjust the screen contrast, turn the
wheel on the side of the Digital Book System.
5. Press.
CARD
6. Press or to highlight HADI.
6
Getting Started
7. Press .
This is the
ENTER
Handbook’s
initial screen, the top of
the main drug list. Here you enter drug names to
find interactions.
Clearing the Screen and Backing Up
You can always return to the initial screen by
pressing . When you do, the drug names
CLEAR
in your query list are also cleared.
You can always return to the previous display by
pressing .
BACK
Help is Always at Hand
If you’re ever unsure about which key to use,
press to see an appropriate help message. To scroll down help messages, press .
To exit them, press .
HELP
BACK
7
Seeing a Demonstration
Before you start using the
to see a brief demonstration.
1. At the initial screen, press .
2. Press to highlight
3. Press to start the demonstration.
ENTER
4. To stop the demonstration, press .
Handbook
MENU
DemoDemo
Demo.
DemoDemo
, you may want
CLEAR
Resuming Where You Left Off
If you turn off the Digital Book System while
using the
ous screen when you turn the Digital Book
System on. All the drugs that you entered in
your query list are saved, too.
Handbook
, you’ll return to the previ-
8
Entering Drug Names
You enter drug names by typing them at the main
drug list. The main drug list contains brand and
generic names, foods, and drug and food groups. In
this User’s Manual, “drug name” refers to any name
on the main drug list. Try this example.
1. At the initial screen, type
2. Press to enter the drug in the your
ENTER
METAMETA
META.
METAMETA
query list .
3. Press to clear the entry.
CLEAR
Tips for Entering Drug Names
• Usually you need type only the first few letters
to highlight a drug name.
• You don’t need to type capitals or punctuation.
• To type numbers, hold and press the
numbered keys.
• To erase letters, press .
BACK
9
Entering Drug Names
Moving Up and Down Lists
You can use these keys to move up and down
the main drug list, the query list, and other
lists:
To. . .Press. . .
Scroll up and downHold or
Page up and down or
Go to the start or + or *
end of the list
* Hold while pressing the other key, or
press and then the other key. The
second way displays a G at the bottom of the
screen.
UP
DN
Follow the Arrows
Blinking arrows at the top right of the screen
indicate which direction keys you can press to
move around the screen. Look for them.
10
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