increasing the likelihood that they will accumulate in the body.
UÊInteractions with medical conditions . If you have a particular medical con -
dition (for example, high blood pressure), you should choose a drug that will 
not worsen the symptoms of your illness.
UÊSubstance-use issues . If you enjoy drinking alcohol or if you use other 
drugs, you should choose a medication that is unlikely to interact with these 
substances.
UÊDiscontinuation issues . Medications that leave the body quickly (in other 
words, those with a short half-life) are more likely to cause withdrawal 
symptoms and are often harder to discontinue. Therefore, drugs with a 
longer half-life are usually easier to discontinue. If you and/or your doctor 
are concerned about your ability to discontinue a medication, this should be 
factored into your decision regarding which drug to take. (The term half-life  
refers to the time that it takes for half of the amount of drug in your body