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Many drugs are sold over-the-counter (no prescription necessary) and intended for medicinal use at home. Drugs for fever, cough, stuffy nose, runny nose, diarrhea, and allergies are common drugs which are especially helpful during times of illness. All medications should be kept out of the reach of children.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are drugs you can buy without a prescription. Some OTC medicines relieve aches, pains and itches. Some prevent or cure diseases, like tooth decay and athlete's foot. Others help manage recurring problems, like migraines.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration decides whether a medicine is safe enough to sell over-the-counter. Taking OTC medicines still has risks. • Some interact with other medicines, supplements, foods or drinks. Others cause problems for people with certain medical conditions. If you're pregnant, talk to your health care provider before taking any medicines.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determines whether medicines are prescription or nonprescription. The term prescription (Rx) refers to medicines that are safe and effective when used under a doctor's care. Nonprescription or OTC drugs are medicines FDA decides are safe and effective for use without a doctor's prescription.
It is important to take medicines correctly, and be careful when giving them to children. More medicine does not necessarily mean better. You should never take OTC medicines longer or in higher doses than the label recommends. If your symptoms don't go away, it's a clear signal that it's time to see your healthcare provider.
OTCs are safe when taken as directed, they are also serious medicines. That is why it is so important to use medicines wisely • Just as you would follow your doctor’s advice when taking a prescription medicine, you need to know the facts about how to take OTC medicines with care.
The 3 Rs to Be MedWise ●Respect that OTCs are serious medicines that must be taken with care; ● Recognize that all medicines (OTC and prescription) have Risks as well as benefits; and ●Take Responsibility for learning about how to take each OTC medicine safely.
How You Can Be MedWise • When taken as directed, OTCs are safe and effective, but like prescription medicines, they must be taken with care. • In fact, many of the OTC medicines sold today were once available only by prescription. Having these medicines available without needing to see a doctor for a prescription is a plus for everyone.
Learn how to Be MedWise by following these simple steps: • Read the label—every time you buy or use a nonprescription medicine pay special attention to the ingredients, and directions for use and warnings. • Take only the recommended dose as stated on the label. • Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before combining an OTC medicine with a prescription medicine or before taking more than one OTC remedy at the same time. • Keep a record of all the OTC medicines, prescription medicines, dietary supplements and herbal remedies you take. Share this record with your health care providers at each visit
If you are not sure about how to select or use an OTC medicine, talk to your pharmacist, doctor or other health care professional. Questions to ask: • Is this medication safe for me? • How much should I take and how often? • How soon should I expect results? • Can this product interact with other medicines (prescription and OTC), vitamins or herbal products that I am taking? • What are the possible side effects I should look out for?
What other OTCs should I avoid while taking this medicine? • How long can I safely use this medicine? • Will this medicine affect my other medical conditions? (For example, pregnancy, glaucoma, emphysema) • Can I continue my normal activities while taking this medicine?
OTC Know-How: It's on the Label You wouldn't ignore your doctor's instructions for using a prescription drug; so don't ignore the label when taking an OTC medicine. Here's what to look for: • PRODUCT NAME • "ACTIVE INGREDIENTS": • "PURPOSE" • "USES" • "WARNINGS" • "DIRECTIONS" • "OTHER INFORMATION" • "INACTIVE INGREDIENTS"
Drug Interactions: A Word to the Wise • Although mild and relatively uncommon, interactions involving OTC drugs can produce unwanted results or make medicines less effective. It's especially important to know about drug interactions if you're taking Rx and OTC drugs at the same time. • Some drugs can also interact with foods and beverages, as well as with health conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, and high blood pressure.
Pregnancy and Breast-Feeding • Drugs can pass from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby. If you're pregnant, always talk with your doctor before taking any drugs, Rx or OTC. • Although most drugs pass into breast milk in concentrations too low to have any unwanted effects on the baby, breast-feeding mothers still need to be careful. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine while breast-feeding.
Common OTC Drugs ACHES, PAINS, AND HEADACHES Over-the-counter pain relievers can help with your headache, arthritis pain, sprains, and other minor joint and muscle problems. • Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be used first. Do not take more than 4 grams (4,000 mg) on any one day. • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). You can buy some NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, without a prescription. • Both NSAIDs and acetaminophen can cause serious side effects when taken in high doses or for a long time. If you are taking pain relievers several days a week, tell your doctor. You may need to be watched for side effects. • People who need to take pain medications for headaches 3 or more days a week may get rebound headaches.
FEVER • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) help reduce fever in children and adults. • Take acetaminophen every 4 - 6 hours. • Take ibuprofen every 6 - 8 hours. DO NOT use ibuprofen in children younger than 6 months. Know how much you or your child weighs before giving ibuprofen. • Aspirin works very well for treating fever in adults. DO NOT give aspirin to a child unless your child's doctor tells you to give it.
COLD, SORE THROAT, COUGH • Over-the-counter cold remedies may help ease your symptoms. They won't shorten the length of a cold, but they can help you feel better. • NOTE: Medical experts do not recommend using cough and cold drugs in children under age 6. Talk to your doctor before your child takes any type of over-the-counter cold medicine, even if it is labeled for children. These medicines likely will not work in children, and they may have serious side effects.
Cough medicines include: • Guaifenesin: This medicine helps break up mucus. • Menthol throat lozenges: Halls, Vicks • Liquid cough suppressants with dextromethorphan: Benylin, Delsym • Decongestant pills and liquids help clear a runny nose and relieve congestion • Check with your doctor before taking decongestants if you have high blood pressure or prostate problems. • Oral decongestants: pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) and phenylephrine (Sudafed PE)
Nasal spray decongestants may also help with a runny nose • Decongestant nasal sprays: oxymetazoline (Afrin, Neo-Synephrine Nighttime, Sinex Spray) and phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine, Sinex Capsules) • Decongestant nasal sprays may work more quickly, but they can have a rebound effect if you use them for more than 3 - 5 days. Your symptoms may get worse if you keep using these sprays. • Starting to take zinc supplements within 24 hours after cold symptoms begin may shorten the duration of cold symptoms and make the symptoms less severe.
Sore Throat may be treated with: • Sprays that numb the pain for a short time: dyclonine (Cepacol), phenol (Chloraseptic) • Painkillers: acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve) • Sucking on hard candies or throat lozenges can be very soothing. Be careful in young children because of the choking risk.
ALLERGIES • Antihistamine pills and liquids work well for treating allergy symptoms. • Some antihistamines can cause sleepiness. These include: dipenhydramine (Benadryl), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimetron), brompheniramine (Dimetapp), or clemastine (Tavist). Talk to your doctor before giving these medicines to a child, because they can affect learning. In adults, they may also reduce alertness enough to impair driving. • Newer antihistamines cause little or no sleepiness. Some are available over the counter. These medications include loratadine (Alavert, Claritin, Dimetapp ND), fexofenadine (Allegra), and cetirizine (Zyrtec).
DIARRHEA • Be careful when taking over-the-counter antidiarrheal medicines such as loperamide (Imodium). Talk to your doctor first. These drugs can worsen diarrhea that is caused by infections. • Rehydration fluids you can buy at a drugstore (Enfalyte or Pedialyte) may be used for moderate and severe diarrhea.
NAUSEA AND VOMITING • Bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate) • Certain antihistamines may help prevent nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness.
SKIN RASHES AND ITCHING • Antihistamines taken by mouth may help with itching or if you have allergies. Often you can buy them without a prescription. • Hydrocortisone cream (Cortaid, Cortizone 10) may work for mild rashes. • Diaper rashes caused by yeast may be treated with topical antifungal skin creams and ointments, such as nystatin, miconazole, clotrimazole, and ketaconazole.
Over-the-counter laxatives for constipation: Use with caution Laxatives can help relieve and prevent constipation. But not all laxatives are safe for long-term use. Overuse of certain laxatives can lead to dependency and decreased bowel function. Before turning to laxatives for relief, try these lifestyle changes to help manage occasional irregularity: • Eat fiber-rich foods, such as wheat bran, fresh fruits and vegetables, and oats. • Drink plenty of fluids daily. • Exercise regularly.
Lifestyle and dietary improvements relieve constipation for many people, but if problems continue despite these changes, your next choice may be a mild laxative. • Rectal stimulants (Senna , Bisacodyl) • Oral stimulants ( Senokot) • Oral stool softeners (Kaopectate) • Oral bulk formers (Citrucel, Metamucil) • Oral osmotic ( GlycoLax, and MiraLax )
