Are you taking the right medication?

Let's face it: playing doctor as the most exciting children exposed distinction between boys and girls. But new research has found some less obvious differences between the sexes, in particular, our responses to medicines.

Men and women have changes in every organ of the body, says Marianne Legato, MD, director of Columbia University's Partnership for Gender Specific Medicine. For starters, our liver produces different versions of enzymes (chemicals that break down drugs) which affect how the drug. We've compiled some essential facts of drugs to help you avoid getting treated like one of the boys.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

What is the diff?
A woman's liver takes longer to process pain reliever found in many OTC medications, making overdose liver damage and more likely.

What to do about it
Try to limit your intake to four 325-milligram tablets or less per day. Check labels for paracetamol in all OTC medicines.

Antidepressants

What is the diff?
Women have more brain cells that bind to serotonin receptors sense, so are more susceptible to mood effects of growth.

What to do about it
If you're worried you might be depressed, ask your doctor about Paxil, Prozac and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). We meet probably better because SSRIs prolong serotonin while hanging on brain cells. Other drugs such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and Marplan Nardil and tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil, not as effective target serotonin.

Prednisolone

What is the diff?
This treatment with steroids for asthma is less effective when progesterone levels are high, because the hormone drug absorption rate. As a result, output meds and leave the system faster, more vulnerable to attack during the two weeks before your period.

What to do about it
Talk to other medications with your doctor. Sometimes, the pill can regulate the levels of progesterone, a steroid can work different, or prednisolone in the premenstrual increase when you could be an option.

Erythromycin

What is the diff?
High levels of erythromycin, used to treat bacterial infections such as bronchitis and strep can cause irregular heartbeats. Because a woman's heart is normally a fraction of a second longer to return to rest between beats, further disruption can be life threatening.

What to do about it
Ask your doctor if an antibiotic does not affect heart rate would be safer.