The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University

National Program on Women & Aging
 

Women & Aging Letter
Excerpt - March 1998

Over the Counter Drugs: Safe if Used Wisely
Volume 2, Number 6
 
Before Taking OTCs

Using OTCs (over the counter drugs) carries virtually no risk if you use them wisely. What can you do individually to lower your chances of experiencing adverse effects?

Self-education is the prescription for safety. Learn to treat OTCs as drugs and remember: Each drug affects different people differently.

Consumers and health care providers need to share more information with one another. Many people do not tell their health care providers or pharmacists about the OTCs that they use, nor how much and how often. And providers usually do not ask, although that is changing.

Many consumers learn about OTCs from brand-name advertisements that can lead consumers to expect quick and safe "fixes" from the use of these products. These ads neither inform consumers about less costly generic preparations nor do they typically suggest ways to relieve symptoms without medication.

Take the problem of insomnia. Sleep aids are advertised regularly on television and purchased disproportionately by older people. Regular exercise, bedtime routines, substituting music for television and warm milk for alcohol and caffeine, and having the bedroom at a comfortable temperature may be as effective as medications.
 

Here are some specific suggestions to help you stay on the safe side of OTCs:

Ask your pharmacist.
No other health professionals have as much training in prescription and OTC drugs as pharmacists. Also, because nearly all pharmacies are computerized, your pharmacist is most likely to know all the medications you are taking.

Keep a list of all drugs you use.

Do this for both prescription and over-the-counter medications. Your medical records, as well as your pharmacyís record, should also list this information. In the interest of your safety, make certain that all such records are complete. Obtaining all your medications from the same pharmacy will help prevent oversights. To get you started, Elder Health -- a program of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy -- offers booklets in which to record personal medical information and responses to medications (see Resources listed below).

Seek out and investigate non-drug solutions to health problems.

When you have a health problem, ask your health care provider whether an OTC is the best remedy and what alternatives there might be. Pharmacies often make this kind of information available as well. For example, Searle (a large manufacturer of OTCs) has placed information on ways to alleviate insomnia in pharmacies around the country.

Read the label carefully once you decide to use an OTC.

The FDA requires that OTC drug manufacturers provide legible and readily understood information on product ingredients, safe dosages, and warnings on potential side effects and interactions. After reading the label, if you have any questions about the safety of the drug for your circumstances, consult an accessible and knowledgeable resource -- your pharmacist.

Seek medical attention...

...if the condition for which you are using OTCs does not resolve or if you are experiencing the condition for the first time and are "just guessing" about what it is.

Report adverse reactions...

...to your health care provider, pharmacist, and the FDA hotline (see Resources below).
 

Related Resources:

  • AARP Health Newsletter: "Ask Your Pharmacist" answers questions about OTCs. Published by the AARP Pharmacy. PO Box 883, Libertyville, IL 60048. Tel: 800-456-2277.
  • Complete Drug Reference:Published by Consumer Reports Books. Tel: 800-500-9760. Cost: $39.95.
  • Elder Health: This center produces pamphlets on a variety of health issues, including personal pharmaceutical records. Elder Health, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 20 North Pine St., Baltimore, Maryland 21201.
  • FDA Hotline: Keeps track of adverse reactions to OTCs in ongoing reassessments of drug regulations. 800-FDA-4010. Their web site is at www.fda.gov.
  • Healthtouch Online:Provides information on over 7,000 prescription and OTC drugs. Web site: www.healthtouch.com