What do those drug labels really mean?
Navigating the sea of labels on drugstore shelves can leave you feeling sick and confused, according to Consumer Reports. Words and phrases like “extra strength,” “PM” or even “cold and flu” seem to spell relief, but exactly what they're selling may be less clear.
Consumer Reports demystifies some over-the-counter drug labels:
Non-Drowsy
What It Means: “Non-drowsy” usually indicates an absence of active ingredients that cause drowsiness, like diphenhydramine or dextromethorphan.
Consumer Reports' Advice: Don't assume that non-drowsy medicine will help you stay alert, even though some products may contain ingredients that act as stimulants (such as the decongestant pseudoephedrine, found in Sudafed). Read the drug facts label so that you know what you're getting. And if your medication contains stimulants, avoid caffeine. Otherwise, you risk increased restlessness and difficulty falling asleep.
PM
What It Means: Drugs with “PM” in the name usually contain an old-school antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (commonly found in Benadryl Allergy) or doxylamine, which can make you sleepy as a side effect.
Consumer Reports' Advice: If you have trouble falling asleep, don't rely on a PM drug longer than a few days. If taken too often, those drugs can worsen your sleeping problems. They can also cause daytime sleepiness, confusion, constipation and dry mouth, especially for older people. Steer clear of PM drugs if you take blood pressure meds, because in combination, they may cause excessively low blood pressure. Also, don't drink alcohol when taking PM formulas; the combo may increase the risk of side effects. And use caution if you drive the next day; you might still be drowsy.
Daytime and Nighttime
What It Means: New on the shelves are day-and-night combination cold-and-flu products packaged and sold in one box. “Daytime” may mean there are no ingredients that make you sleepy; “Nighttime” can mean the product has a drug that causes drowsiness, such as diphenhydramine or doxylamine. The products might also contain a laundry list of active ingredients, which can put you at a higher risk for accidentally doubling medications, especially if you take other drugs, such as acetaminophen (found in hundreds of over-the-counter products).
Consumer Reports' Advice: Skip the multisymptom combo packs, especially if you take other over-the-counter drugs. Consumer Reports' medical advisers recommend using single-ingredient drugs whenever you can. (Treat a headache with acetaminophen, for example, rather than taking a pill for a headache plus congestion, fever and other symptoms you don't have.)
All-Day
What It Means: These are extended-release versions of drugs that work over many hours. They may last 12 hours or 24 hours, so for some meds, one daily dose might be all you need; for others, it could be two doses.
Consumer Reports' Advice: Watch out for nonspecific language that suggests 24 hours. “All-Day” might refer either to the part of the day that you're awake or to an actual day, meaning a 24-hour period. Read labels to determine how often to take the drug. For example, All Day Strong Aleve is taken every 8 to 12 hours for pain relief, and Up & Up is taken once every 24 hours for allergy symptoms.
Migraine
What It Means: You might think you'll get a stronger medicine because migraines are often more severe headaches. But some products contain the same-strength active ingredients as the original versions with different dosage instructions.
Consumer Reports' Advice: Studies suggest that OTC medicines can help some migraine sufferers with mild or infrequent pain. But read labels to make sure that you're getting the right medicine. Excedrin Migraine and Excedrin Extra Strength contain the same strength of acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine, but the maximum daily dose for the migraine version is no more than two pills per day; for Extra Strength, it's no more than eight. (One reason: overuse of OTC pain meds for migraines can cause rebound headaches.) When in doubt, consult a doctor or pharmacist.