Are You Mis-using What’s in Your Cupboard?
Words Aliyah Gordon
Many people do not realise they are either treating their symptoms irrationally or overusing the correct treatment for their symptoms. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines drug misuse as ‘the use of a substance for a purpose not consistent with legal or medical guidelines’. Drug misuse can include taking the incorrect dose, taking the correct dose at the wrong time, forgetting to take a dose or stopping the medicine prematurely. I’m sure you can see how this can happen to anyone at any point in time.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are medicines that can be sold on the shelf in pharmacies, supermarkets and other retail outlets without a prescription. Examples of these medicines are painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Prescription-only medicines are medicines that require a prescription from an appropriate practitioner and are usually for conditions which are more serious. Examples of these medicines are antibiotics or stronger painkillers such as tramadol. It is important to understand these medicines are patient-specific and just because a healthcare professional has prescribed them as being safe for you, that does not make them safe for everyone. Hence, these medicines should not be shared with others.
Paracetamol is the most common drug taken in overdose in the UK, with an estimated 40,000 cases per year. Many people may know the recommended dose of paracetamol 500mg tablets or capsules is 1-2 pills up to 4 times a day when required for pain. However, what most people do not know is, doses should be spread throughout the day, leaving a gap of 4-6 hours to allow the body to break down the medicine safely. This also means the maximum number of tablets or capsules in a 24 hour period is 8. You can see just how easy it is to accidentally go over the limit now, right?
The problem with overusing painkillers at home is this could mask the severity of an underlying condition, this may not be the right painkillers for your particular condition, or you may start to damage your body from extreme overuse of medication. For example, overuse of ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers and in extreme cases stomach bleeds - this then becomes a medical emergency.
A study on antibiotics found 11% of participants did not complete their full course because they “felt better”. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and each antibiotic will be effective towards different types of bacteria. This is dependent on how they work in the body. This also helps to explain why instructions for antibiotics will vary, for example flucloxacillin must be taken on an empty stomach whereas metronidazole cannot be taken with alcohol. The study also found 16% of participants kept the remainder of their antibiotics “in case they needed them again”. This can be bad for 2 reasons; your next infection may be viral, for example a cold or a flu which would mean antibiotics are inappropriate and even if your next infection was bacterial, it may be a different type of bacteria, meaning again those particular antibiotics will be inappropriate.
It is important to complete your full course of antibiotics to prevent antibiotic resistance. This happens when the bacteria remains in your body due to the incomplete course and is then able to mutate and “out-smart” the antibiotic. As a result, the same antibiotic is no longer able to treat the infection. Again, you should never share your antibiotics because they are prescribed for that particular type of bacteria causing your infection, which may be different to the person you are sharing medication with.
I know what you’re thinking; all this information but what does this mean for me? I’ll sum it up into 3 points.
If you think you may be overusing medication, you should contact a healthcare professional. This is to rule out an underlying condition that may need treating in order to alleviate your symptoms, or allow your medication to be changed for example, being prescribed stronger painkillers for neuropathic pain.
I would like to reiterate the point of not sharing prescribed medication with your family or friends to enable both of you to receive the best treatment. You may think you are helping one another, but it could be making things worse.
Make sure you read the patient information leaflet included with all medicines, whether buying OTC or receiving a prescription. I know there is a lot of information on the internet but it is important to get your advice from a reliable source. If you find your symptoms still persist after treatment or you are unsure, ask an appropriate practitioner.
Signed: Aliyah, your pharmacist.