This information is essential to uniquely identify the medicine to prevent the reader from being confused with different medicines but with common characteristics (for example, same trade name and same active ingredient but different dosage).
The list of excipients, on the other hand, is very important in order to allow the patient to quickly identify the possible presence of substances to which he is allergic.
Pharmacotherapeutic group, type of activity and therapeutic indications
The pharmacotherapeutic group indicates to which group of medicines the drug whose package leaflet is being read belongs according to a classification based on the type of organ / apparatus on which the drug acts and on the chemical, pharmacological and therapeutic properties of the same.
The therapeutic indications, on the other hand, indicate for which ailments or diseases the use of the drug is indicated.
Did you know that ...
Some drugs are sometimes used to treat conditions not expressly listed in the therapeutic indications. In these cases, we speak of "off-label use".
Contraindications
Contraindications represent all those cases in which the drug must NOT be used. Each medicine, therefore each active ingredient, has specific contraindications. The common contraindication to all drugs concerns the use of the product in patients with a known allergy to one or more of its components (active ingredients and excipients).
Warnings and Precautions for use
This heading lists all the information you need to know before taking the medicine and during treatment with it. All conditions / situations in which the medicine can be used, but with caution and / or under close medical supervision, are also reported.
Interactions with other medicines or substances
This chapter lists the drugs, foods, drinks or substances with which the drug can interact.
In some cases, the medicine can alter the effect of other drugs; while in other cases, it is other drugs, foods or substances that can alter the therapeutic effect induced by the drug for which you are reading the package leaflet.
Special warnings
The special warnings provide information on the use of the drug in particular conditions. A classic example concerns use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Posology, method and time of administration
This is the chapter in which the dosage of medicine to be taken, the frequency of administration and the duration of treatment are indicated. If necessary, the times when the drug should be taken are also reported (for example: in the morning; in the evening; after meals; before meals; etc.).
Overdose
The overdose chapter describes the symptoms that can occur if you take too much medicine and the first aid measures that can be taken. In this chapter, the patient is asked to contact a doctor or emergency room if he suspects (or is certain) that he has taken too large amounts of the drug.
Side effects
This chapter describes the side effects that may occur during treatment with the medicine. Generally, the symptoms are divided according to the frequency with which they tend to occur into: very common, common, uncommon, rare, very rare and of unknown frequency.
In the same chapter, the patient is asked to report the appearance of any undesirable effects not present on the package leaflet to the doctor, pharmacist or directly on the website of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA).
Methods of conservation and expiration
This chapter describes all the information for the correct storage of the medicine (for example: in the refrigerator; below 30 ° C; away from heat sources; etc.), as well as in-depth information on the expiry of the product.
