Medical apps

When it comes to our bodies and our health, the more we know, the better — but it isn’t always possible to get instant access to a pharmacist or doctor.

Fortunately, a number of apps can make health research a breeze on our smartphones and tablets, as PC Mike Wendland reports.

Epocrates is a reference for medications. Search for drug information by generic name, brand name, or a list of conditions. Drug information includes adult and pediatric dosing, contraindications and cautions, side effects, drug interactions, safety and monitoring recommendations and photos for easy identification. The app is free for iOS and Android with in-app purchases available.

For general health info, the Medical Dictionary app lists 180,000 medical terms, over 50,000 audio pronunciations, and 12,000 images. It’s a dictionary app that provides clear, in-depth definitions of medical terminology on just about everything from physiology and dentistry to pathology and treatments. The app is free for iOS and Android.

Looking for specific info about the human body? The app Essential Anatomy 5 delivers more than 8,200 3D structures that are highly accurate, immersive and visually stunning. The app is used by anatomy professors in thousands of classrooms worldwide, and in many cases, is mandatory. It provides a completely immersive user experience. And is easy to use. The app is $14.99 for iOS and $11.99 for Android.