OTC pain relievers and NSAIDs aren't taken correctly

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OTC pain relievers and NSAIDs aren't taken correctly

Rheumawire

Jul 13, 2004

Zosia Chustecka

Manhasset, NY - A huge US survey into the use of over-the-counter (OTC)

pain-relieving medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory

drugs (NSAIDs), has found that more than half of the people buying these

drugs are using them incorrectlyeither taking more than the recommended

dose or taking the tablets more frequently than advised. Even those

individuals who had arthritis or joint pain and so were using these

medications chronically were likely to misuse them.

The survey was developed by the American College of Emergency Physicians

(ACEP) and Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). It was conducted online

by Impulse Research Corp (Los Angeles, CA) and was sponsored by Pfizer.

" The results found in this survey are disturbing given that millions of

people take NSAIDs every day, " says Dr Hancock, president of the

ACEP. " It's important for consumers to realize that misuse of these

medicines can lead to serious complications that might require emergency

care. "

" There is a perception that anything bought over the counter is without

risk, " says Dr Kunz , president-elect of the ENA board

of directors. " This is a fallacy becauselike all medicationsthere can be

serious health consequences with misuse and we see these consequences in

the emergency department. "

The survey analyzed responses from 3443 men and women. Almost everyone

(97.7%) had taken an OTC pain reliever. The most frequent reason for

taking these drugs was backache (49.3%), followed by menstrual pain

(44.2%), migraine (37.4%), joint pain (33.9%), and arthritis (19.8%).

Nearly 60% of respondents admitted to taking more tablets than

recommended, and 49% said they took them more often than advised. In

addition, 24% of respondents said that they take the OTC medication at

the same time as taking a prescription pain reliever.

Although more than 80% of respondents said that they had read the label

of an OTC pain reliever in the past, only 28% said they read the label

last time they took 1 of these medications, and 66% said they did not

read the label.

" People who disregard label instructions to manage pain may be putting

themselves at risk of complications, " says Hancock. These include

gastrointestinal problems, including bleeding, which may be taking place

without the patient even noticing until the condition becomes serious

and there is vomiting of blood or blood in the stools, at which point it

may require emergency care.

The ACEP and ENA have educational campaigns aimed at the general public

about managing pain and the use of over-the-counter pain relievers and

offer a hotline to consumers for more information (1-866ER-INFO-8).

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org