Drugs work in your body in a variety of ways.
There are more than 20,000 medications available by prescription, and still more available over the counter.
Some can be used to treat several different health conditions.
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Aspirin, for example, can be used to treat pain, inflammation, and fever.
In addition, aspirin can prevent heart attacks if taken on a regular basis.
The following information is a basic overview of how some drugs work to improve your health.
Medications used to treat infections can kill germs directly or prevent them from multiplying and growing.
Some cancers are treated with a combination of these medications.
You also can develop a deficiency disorder because of a lack of hormones in your body.
Most medications prescribed or sold over the counter target one or more of these cell abnormalities.
Some medications used to treat depression work by increasing the amount of a chemical messenger in the brain.
Here are different ways that drugs are introduced into your body.
Additionally, your pharmacist is a wonderful resource who can help you better understand your medications.
US Food and Drug Administration.Fact Sheet: FDA at a Glance.
2017;1:CD002003.
doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002003.pub5
Drug Administration.
