Over-the-counter drugs are medications which can readily be bought in stores and pharmacies without the need of any prescription.
These drugs are very different from the health supplement, dietary pills, and powders because its major purpose is to treat common illnesses such as fever, headaches, colds, allergies, and others.
Before being declared as an OTC drug, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluates and balances the medicinal effect and side effects of the drug.
Many years ago, several substances and medications were sold without any prescription which leads to serious issues of selling dangerous drugs to the community. As a result, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act was enacted in 1938.
This law gave the United States’ FDA the authority to evaluate and regulate drugs, cosmetics and substances sold in stores and pharmacies. Likewise, another agency called the Drug Efficacy Study Implementation was created to monitor and study the effectiveness of drugs and substances in the country.
Along with this progression, the government made a distinction between OTC and prescription drugs. Those drugs which aim to cure a specific disease need to have a prescription to regulate its usage and distribution.
In line to this, certain criteria must be met before allowing the drug to be readily sold without any prescription. First, the drug must have been used for quite some time by the public without any serious complaints from it. Second, the side effects for misusing and abusing the drug must be stipulated to determine its intensity. Third, the drug must not form any addiction or unhealthy behavior from using it, whether for a short or long term usage. Lastly, the benefits derived from using the said medication must be greater compared to its minor side effects.
Before purchasing any OTC drug, one needs to ensure its safety by doing some steps to know more about this drug. Here are some steps one needs to do in order to check the safety of any drug.
First, one needs to read the label to know its components, dosage, and the specific illness it aims to cure. Second, be aware of the contraindications when taking a certain drug. One can also ask a pharmacist or doctor on the various side effects of a drug before taking them. Third, never take multiple drugs at the same time without knowing the compatibility of those certain medications. Fourth, check the specified dosage for a certain age and weight of a person.
Over-the-Counter Drugs, How They Work
These kinds of medications work in different ways depending on what specific illness it intends to cure. Some of the common illness it cures includes headaches, pain, fever, cough, allergies, skin rashes and diarrhea.
For headaches and body pain, the common OTC drug used is acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Acetaminophen works on the pain receptors by inhibiting the brain to feel painful sensations. The other one works on the joints where inflammation takes place.
For fever, the common medications used are Tylenol, Motrin and Advil. These medications are applied to kid and adult fever. Likewise, these drugs are taken at various intervals. Tylenol is taken for every 4 to 6 hours. Ibuprofen is taken every 6 to 8 hours but not for kids below 6 months of age.
For soothing sore throat and cough, the common medications are cough syrup, lozenges, and Guaifenesin. In general, these medications provide a cooling sensation in the throat and thin out mucus build up. Another medicine for sore throat is the spray type drug.
Meanwhile, nasal decongestants can be orally taken or sprayed directly into one’s nostrils. The spray type works faster in thinning out the mucus layer inside the nasal cavity.
Antihistamines are used to counter or prevent allergic reactions by binding themselves in the histamine receptors. Once bound, it prevents the histamine from interacting with the receptor sites. However, the common side effects of these medications are drowsiness or sleepiness of the patient.
Antihistamines are also the same medicine used for people suffering from skin rashes.
If one suffers from diarrhea, the OTC drug commonly used is loperamide or drugs containing bismuth. The general effect of these drugs is to decrease the bowel and intestinal movements.
Addiction and Dangers
Despite its huge medicinal benefits, these types of drugs still induce serious side effects when misused and abused. Each type of medications abused has its specific side effects which one needs to know.
For instance, pain relievers when abused can cause serious damage in the liver, stomach pains, vomiting, and cold sweaty skin.
Medications for colds when abused can cause irregular heartbeat, confusion, delusions, tremors, and elevated blood pressure.
Meanwhile, medicines used as cough suppressants can cause several health consequences. Some of its common side effects include bleary vision, convulsions, euphoria, inability to focus, and cardiac arrest.
For medicines used in treating sea sickness or motion sickness, the active ingredients of these drugs when abused can cause damage to the normal functioning of the brain. Some of its vivid side effects include tremors, abnormal heart rhythm, and depressed breathing.
Medications and Treatments
For any treatment to be successful, the patient must be self-aware of one’s condition and accept the need for external help to hasten one’s recovery.
The first step one needs to do for recovery is the gradual abstinence from using these kinds of drugs. An abrupt cessation from these medications can lead to painful withdrawal symptoms. Some of the common withdrawal symptoms include unstable mood shifts, depression, disorientation, and increased aggressiveness.
The common treatments used to recover from addiction are Individual therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Group Counseling.
Individual therapies seek to help the patient understand one’s condition and identify the factors influencing their treatment.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy aims to assist the patient in identifying unhealthy thoughts which triggers the addiction. Likewise, the therapist guides the patient in formulating positive coping mechanisms whenever faced with these risk factors.
Lastly, Group Counseling aims to re-establish the socialization skills of patients. Each member gets to have the chance to share their experiences regarding the condition. Members also exercise their social responsibility traits by doing community extension services.
