Information Leaflet.

Study the article. Note down key words and specify them.

All drugs are dispensed with a patient instruction leaflet, also known as a drug information leaflet, that provides important information relating to the use of the drug. The most important points in this package insert will be explained by the doctor or pharmacist but it is vital that every patient reads and understands the information on the leaflet.

Drug indications are those diseases, signs and symptoms that may be treated by using a specific drug. A drug indication does not suggest complete resolution, total relief or a cure from using the drug but is based on success achieved in clinical trials. For example : Paracetamol is indicated for pain and fever.

Contraindications refer to those conditions, physical, mental or emotional state as well as other signs and symptoms which may be present where a specific drug should not be used. A contraindication indicates that by using the drug in these instances, there is a chance of side effects and complications arising. Drug contraindications should not be ignored as these warnings are based on clinical research and the understanding of the potential pharmacological hazards of certain chemical interactions. For example : Aspirin is contraindicated in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding.

Side effects are the signs and symptoms that may arise as a result of using a specific drug. These complications are usually due to the pharmacological action of the drug, dependent on the dose, frequency and duration of use as well as the individual sensitivity and tolerance of the user. For example : Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of antibiotics.

Warnings related to a specific drug serve as notice to inform the patient that there may be risk in using the drug in certain diseases or medical states. A warning is not a definite indication that the drug may cause any complications but should be used cautiously or avoided altogether in certain cases. For example : Hormone replacement drugs high in progesterone should be used cautiously in patients with cardiovascular disease.

9. Using the prescribed information, choose the most appropriate antibiotic for these patients. 1. A 4-year-old-boy with meningitis due to pneumococcus. He is allergic to penicillin. 2. A 67-year-old man with a history of chronic bronchitis now suffering from pneumonia. The causative organism is resistant to tetracycline. 3. A 27-year-old woman with urinary tract infection in early pregnancy. 4. A 4-year-old gilr with a septic arthritis due to to haemophilus influenzae. 5. An 18-year-old man with left leg amputation above the knee following a road traffic accident. 6. A 50-year-old woman with endocarditis caused by ctrep.viridans. 7. A 13-year-old girl with disfiguring acne. 8. An 8-year-old boy with tonsillitis due to ß-haemolytic streptococcus. 9. A 43-year-old dairyman with brucellosis. 10. A 4-year-old unimmunized sibling of a 2-year-old boy with whooping cough.

Using Lay Terms in Explanations Explanations should be given in words the patient will understand, avoiding medical jargon. Using lay terms – words familiar to people without medical knowledge – can help patients undertand explanations. Some lay terms for medication

Medical Condition	Lay term
Analgesics	Pain killers
Anti-depressant	Tablets to improve your mood
Anti-inflammatories	Medicines to reduce swelling
Broncho-dilator	A substance which causes the airways to open up
DMARDs (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs	Pills that help stop arthritis progressing
Diuretics	Water tablets
Hypertension medication	Pills for blood pressure
Hypnotics	Sleeping tablets
Oral contraceptives	The pill

Some lay terms for medical conditions

Medical condition	Lay term
Acute cerebrovascualt event	Stroke
Arrhythmia	Palpitation
Dyspnoea	Breathlessness
Fractured neck of femur	Broken hip
Haematemesis	Vomiting blood
Haemoturia	Blood in the urine
Insomnia	Trouble with sleeping
Intermittent claudication	Pains in the back of the legs when walking
Myocardial infarction	Heart attack
Nocturia	Needing to pass urine (water) at night

Most patients do not have any medical knowledge, so it is important to use simple words they will understand when talking about certain parts of the body or medical condition

Medical term	Simple definition
Arteries	Tubes which carry blood around the body
Benign	Not due to cancer or infection
Bronchi	Airways that connect your windpipe to your lungs
Cholesterol	Fat that clogs the arteries
Intervertebral disks	Shock absorbers which separate the bones in your back
Oesophagus	The tube that connects the back of the throat to the stomach
Pancreas	A gland that helps digestion and makes insulin to control blood sugar
Thyroid	A gland that produces some of the hormones required in daily life
Urethra	The tube that carries urine from the bladder

8. Replace the underlined words and phrases with appropriate lay terms. 1. Mr Harris, I’m afraid your wife‘s suffered an acute cerebrovascular event. 2. The urethra runs through the middle of the prostate. 3 .The reason for your nocturia is that the prostate is enlarged. 4. Do you suffer from dyspnoe when you exert yourself? 5. I’m going to give you an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory for your sprained ankle. 6. I’m putting you on an anti-depressant for a short time to help you get back to normal life.

Word formation

Nouns

A fast way to expand your vocabulary is to make sure you know the different forms of the

words you learn.

The words in this list are all verbs. What are the noun forms? Write them in the

second column.

1. diagnose 2. examine 3. prescribe 4. suffer 5. operate 6. cure 7. recover 8. analyze

diagnosis

9. infect 10. carry 11. replace 12. degenerate 13. refer 14. paralyze 15. obstruct

Rewrite the sentences below, changing the verbs (which are in bold) to nouns. Do not change the meaning of the sentences, but be prepared to make grammatical changes if necessary.

1. I diagnosed that the patient had a heart condition.	My diagnosis was that the patient had a heart condition.
2. I examined the patient fully.	I made a full…
3. I prescribed a course of antibiotics.	I wrote a…
4. He suffered very little.	He experienced very little…
5. We operated immediately.	The…
6. This disease cannot be cured.	There is no…
7. He has recovered fully.	He has made a full…
8. The lab analyzed the blood sample.	The lab made an…
9. We found that the tissue was infected.	We found an…
10. Ten per cent of the population are thought to carry the bacteria.	Ten per cent of the population are thought to be…
11. We replaced the patient's hip.	The patient was given a hip…
12. His condition has degenerated.	There has been a…
13. The patient was referred to a specialist.	The patient was given a…
14. His arm was paralyzed after the stroke.	He suffered…
15. The artery was obstructed by a blood clot.	The blood clot was forming an…

Opposites - prefixes

English often uses prefixes to create opposites. There are several different prefixes that are

used.

active adequate coherent compatible complete conscious controllable dependent digested direct fertile fit healthy hygienic legal movable operable palpable pure qualified reducible regular sanitary soluble stable well

Choose the right prefix for each of the adjectives below and write them into the table.

il-	-im	in-	ir-	un-
1.	1. 2. 3.	1. inactive 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.	1. 2.	1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Use ten of the adjectives in the table to complete these sentences. 1.He was found unconscious in the street.

2. He felt ________________ and had to go home.

3. The serum makes the poison ________________.

4. The children have a very _______________ diet.

5. The nurse noted that the patient had developed an ________________ pulse.

6. She used to play a lot of tennis, but she became ________________ in the winter.

7. The surgeon decided that the cancer was ________________.

8. Cholera spread rapidly because of the ________________ conditions in the town.

9. The patient was showing signs of an ________________ mental condition.

10. She has an ________________ desire to drink alcohol.