Indication (medicine)

In medicine, an indication is a valid reason to use a certain test, medication, procedure, or surgery. The opposite of an indication is a contraindication.

Definition

An indication for a therapeutic intervention in medicine refers to the condition which makes a particular treatment or procedure advisable. Cough, for example, is an indication for the use of an antitussive medication. Indications for a treatment can be categorized as primary, secondary, or tertiary.

Types of Indications

Primary Indication

A primary indication is the main reason for which a drug is prescribed or a procedure is performed. For example, pain is a primary indication for the prescription of analgesics.

Secondary Indication

A secondary indication is a condition for which a drug has been found to be effective but is not the primary use of the drug. For example, amitriptyline is primarily used to treat depression, but it is also used as a secondary indication for neuropathic pain.

Tertiary Indication

A tertiary indication is a condition for which a drug or procedure may be beneficial but is not the primary or secondary use. For example, aspirin is primarily used for pain relief, but it has a tertiary indication for the prevention of heart attacks.

See also

• Contraindication
• Medical prescription
• Therapeutic index