Key Summary
- OTC medicines aren’t risk-free as their misuse or overuse can cause dependence, overdose or serious harm.
- Extra caution is needed with codeine painkillers, decongestants, sleep aids, cough syrups (DXM) and laxatives.
- Experts urge people to seek professional advice before regular use to avoid dangerous side effects.
Over-the-counter medicines are considered safe by most people as it is freely available in pharmacies and supermarkets, but their risks are often underestimated.
They can be dangerous if consumed in excess, and without doctors’ guidance.
They may provide quick relief, but they have the potential to create dependence, misuse tendencies, or chances for overdose, the Independent reports.
It lists out five medications that needs to be taken carefully - codeine-based painkillers, decongestants, sleeping pills, cough syrups, and laxatives.
Ibuprofen or paracetamol that fall under the codeine-based painkillers must be used carefully.
Once it is consumed, the body converts codeine into morphine, which helps relieve pain.
However, their repeated usage can be dangerous and lead to withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, sweating and sleep troubles.
Decongestants like xylometazoline and oxymetazoline are available in the form of nasal sprays and tablets. They narrow the blood vessels in the nasal passages, reduce swelling and mucus, and make breathing easier.
But their overuse can lead to rebound congestion called rhinitis medicamentosa, making the drug ineffective.
This gradually worsens the patient's troubled breathing as well as dependence.
The use of short-term sleep aids such as promethazine and diphenhydramine without proper medical guidance could even prove fatal.
These medications have strong side effects like rebound insomnia, extreme sedation, and slowed breathing. They need to be taken carefully.
Cough syrups like dextromethorphan (DXM) must be dealt seriously as these easily available medicines can have dissociative effects like ketamine and many other psychoactive effects.
Lastly, laxatives are also a dangerous OTC medicine if used by people suffering from eating disorders, athletes with strict diets.
Misuse of these drugs can lead to severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, serious damage to the gut impacting heart and kidneys, etc.
Therefore, experts urge the public to consume medication only after the guidance of a healthcare professional to prevent side effects which can even be fatal.
