Introducing Over-The-Counter drugs...
How did drug misuse begin? Before standards were put into place, over the counter drugs were not regulated by the government. After tampering with medications occurred, the government dealt with the situation by regulating packaging (hence it takes the strength of steel to get that lid off the Pepto Bismol.) There is no real specific time and place when misuse began-humans are not perfect; there is never enough time in the day to learn about all the interactions between drugs that can occur, and there certainly is not enough time to read the entire box concerning dosaging with the busy lives we lead. As our over the counter drugs have become more readily available, and as ingredients of the drugs in them have increased, misuse statistics have also seen a positive rise.
According to a recent survey, Americans are investing about five billion in OTC drugs every year. That's quite a big number for the average nurse conducting an assessment and asking the staple question "what medications are you on, or have taken today"?
More and more medications are moving from prescription to over-the-counter everyday, and while this may save the average buyer money, it also poses the risk of misuse among drugs. The FDA has placed on their website, a very helpful guide to assist the public on how to use over the counter drugs. This includes strategies such as how to properly read the labels, tips for parents administering dosage amounts to their children, how to use pain relievers safely, ect. In one specific example, such as Tylenol, which many Americans see as an everyday drug, acetaminophen poisoning can damage the liver to the extent that liver disease may occur(http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm133426.htm) Liver disease is very serious, but how odd is it that it is caused by misuse of an over the counter drug, which the public does not take very seriously?
Misuse is simply defined as "to use incorrectly" by Merriam-Webster dictionary. Abuse and misuse are not the same thing; abuse of drugs by the user is for the effects of getting "high", while misuse can simply be the situation of a mom, dead tired from lack of sleep due to her child being sick, accidentally giving three tablespoons instead of four.
As a nurse, misuse of over-the-counter drugs can be a point of education you can use with your patients in the crucial few minutes before they are discharged. Misuse can easily occur just by mixing a prescription drug with an OTC, which many patients will not consider before taking a Tylenol with Warfarin for example.
Take home points for the public:
- Make sure that "misuse" and "abuse" are noted as different-watch for abuse especially in the teenage population
Take home points for nurses:
- Patient education, patient education, patient education!
- Make sure to ask patients about any OTC drugs they may have taken. Keep them charted and in mind when you send the patient home with a prescription and instructions
This blog will hopefully be educational for both the public, and the nurse or nurse-in-training, by helping give everyday over-the-counter drug classes and how easily they can be misused and the effects of that misuse in the body.
Please take a moment to view the following video that depicts pharmacists "Top Picks for Over the Counter Drugs". Do you think its smart to run this news story without further detailing the terrible side effects that can occur from misuse?
Watch CBS News Videos Online
Watch CBS News Videos Online
Sources: http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Campaign-aims-to-simplify-OTC-drug-labels-1120-1/, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misuse, http://www.medicinenet.com/acetaminophen/article.htmPhoto source:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/for0528l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/d/drug_user.asp&usg=__CMhHF9CRQBTP50ZiUrmK_NGnoGI=&h=297&w=400&sz=31&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=Q3KyQXZnOV6_CM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcartoon%2Bover%2Bthe%2Bcounter%2Bdrug%2Bmisuse%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7DKUS_en%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1
You know, I really never considered the complications of OTC misuse. With little knowledge of pharmacology and drug effects, etc. I might've taken four Tylonol extra strength every time I needed it instead of two, because I thought it would work faster/better. I guess I never really considered that to be dangerous, especially if its a habitual practice. I'm interested in seeing further information about OTC misuse.
ReplyDeleteI have always been very careful with prescription meds but did think too much about taking OTC meds, especially Tylenol and Ibuprofen.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know a lot about that, that's good to know.
ReplyDelete