Donald Trump medical: Drugs president takes and possible side effects, including 'abnormal thoughts'

The White House has published the results of Donald Trump's first medical since becoming US president, revealing he takes a number of medicinal drugs.

White House doctor Ronny Jackson confirmed that the 71-year-old has "excellent" overall health. This stands in contrast to claims made in the controversial book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, which questioned his "mental stability".

"All data indicates the president is healthy and will remain so for the duration of his presidency," Dr Jackson told a press briefing.

"He continues to enjoy the significant long-term cardiac and overall health benefits that come from a lifetime of abstinence from tobacco and alcohol," he added.

But what are the drugs that the president takes, what do they do, and what are the side effects?

Crestor

Trump takes 10mg of Crestor to lower his cholesterol. Around a quarter of Americans over the age of 40 take statins, of which Crestor is one, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The medication also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and strokes. Trump's total cholesterol is above healthy levels at 223mg/dL; his "bad" cholesterol is at 143mg/dL and his "good" measures at 67mg/dL. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person's total should be below 200mg/dL; their LDL less than 100mg/DL, and their HDL at 40mg/dL or higher.

Dr Jackson commented that he is considering upping the dose, according to Business Insider.

Common side effects include headaches, muscle aches and pains, abdominal pain, weakness and nausea, according to Crestor. Confusion, memory loss, are also marked as "additional side effects" on its website. In rare cases, it can cause kidney and liver problems.

Aspirin

Another drug commonly used to prevent heart disease, Trump takes 81mg a day. A high dose is considered to be 300mg, according to the NHS website.

Side effects can include indigestion, and bleeding or bruising more easily. In rare cases it can prompt the skin to break out in hives; tinnitus, asthma attacks, and bleeding in the stomach and brain.

Propecia

Also known as Finasteride, this drug is widely used to treat hair loss. Side effects include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and ejaculation disorder. Depression, testicular pain, poor quality semen, and male breast cancer are less common side effects, according DrugWatch.com.

The manufacturers concede that the loss of libido and erectile dysfunction are known side effects, although these only affect around 1.3% and 1.8% men in clinical trials, respectively.

Soolantra

This is a treatment for Rosacea, a skin condition where dilated blood vessels cause a red appearance. Side effects include skin burning and irritation, according to the manufacturers.

Ambien

The president takes the sedative used to treat sleeping problems "only during travel" according to Dr Jackson. Althought most people don't experience side effects, they can include dizzines, sleepiness during the day, memory loss, mood changes, abnormal thoughts, suicide ideation, hallucinations, confusion, agitation, aggression and anxiety, according to WebMD.