Over-the-counter (OTC) drug use is extremely frequent. In accordance with the Pharmacy Instances, virtually 9 out of ten U.S. adults take OTC drugs regularly, including as much as 260 million customers. And OTC medication are so available and simple to entry, it may be laborious to keep in mind that they include hazards in addition to advantages. Prescription or not, they’re nonetheless drugs, and must be used with care.

Overuse is just one of many dangers related to OTC drugs: Even taking the advisable dose of a standard drug like acetaminophen could cause adversarial results or work together with drugs you might be already taking. And OTC medication can even have interactions with different OTC drugs. As well as, when individuals self-medicate with OTC medication, they might be lacking the basis reason behind their discomfort, which can be critical. That is why pharmacists advise warning when taking sure OTC meds. Learn on to seek out out about 5 of them.

READ THIS NEXT: By no means Take These 2 Common OTC Medications at As soon as, Consultants Warn.

1

Laxatives

Whereas laxatives are thought-about secure for treating occasional constipation, this OTC treatment could cause issues in a couple of method. “If taken incorrectly for longer than the prescribed therapy interval, [laxatives] can result in issues, like weight reduction and potential harm to constructions within the intestines liable for digestion and absorption of vitamins,” says Kashmira Govind, PharmD, a pharmacist for the Farr Institute.

Laxatives may work together with different drugs, warns the Mayo Clinic, and might be harmful “if constipation is attributable to a critical situation, equivalent to appendicitis or a bowel obstruction.”

2

Acetaminophen

It’s possible you’ll assume nothing of popping a Tylenol (one standard model of acetaminophen) to ease ache or deliver down a fever. However simply because it is a generally used, well-known OTC drug does not imply you should not train warning.

“Should you take [acetaminophen] typically, and with alcohol, it may trigger liver harm,” Govind says. In accordance with Harvard Well being, it’s because “The physique breaks down many of the acetaminophen in a standard dose and eliminates it within the urine. However a few of the drug is transformed right into a byproduct that’s poisonous to the liver.” When taken excessively at one time or over a time frame, they clarify, that may add as much as a poisonous load your physique cannot deal with.

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3

NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs) are one other kind of ache reliever and fever reducer that may have harmful results when taken too typically.

“Non-aspirin NSAIDs can improve the prospect of coronary heart assault or stroke,” warns the Cleveland Clinic. “This threat could also be better you probably have coronary heart illness or threat components (for instance, smoking, hypertension, excessive ldl cholesterol, diabetes) for coronary heart illness.” The location provides that the chance “can happen early in therapy and will improve with longer use.”

4

Aspirin

Aspirin has lengthy been identified not simply as a technique to deal with ache and fever, however as a possible device to handle cardiovascular issues. However the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) warns: “Each prescription and over-the-counter medication has advantages and dangers—even such a standard and acquainted medication as aspirin. Aspirin use may end up in critical negative effects, equivalent to abdomen bleeding, bleeding within the mind, and kidney failure.”

“We’ve since discovered that in an period the place we management hypertension and excessive ldl cholesterol higher for main prevention, aspirin could also be solely minimally useful with an elevated bleeding threat, particularly for older adults,” Boback Ziaeian, MD, PhD advised UCLA Well being—though the positioning provides that “this new recommendation applies solely to main prevention in individuals with out identified heart problems.”

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5

Dietary dietary supplements

As a result of they’re really easy to entry, many individuals do not realize that taking dietary dietary supplements might be harmful. However in keeping with a research printed by the New England Journal of Drugs, “An estimated 23,000 emergency division visits in the USA yearly are attributed to adversarial occasions associated to dietary dietary supplements.”

“Dietary dietary supplements can typically work together with prescription treatment you might be taking,” Govind warns. “For instance, St John’s Wort is usually offered as a ‘pure’ treatment for a lot of situations like melancholy, menopausal signs, and so on., will work together with drugs like oral contraceptives, antidepressants, and so on.”

In case you have questions or issues concerning the OTC drugs you utilize, test in together with your native pharmacist, or your main care supplier.