Common Side Effects of OTC Drugs when Abused

Allergies, constipation, colds, nausea, and flu are common types of illnesses which medications do not need a recommendation from a physician. The medications for these are generally termed as over-the-counter drugs or OTC drugs.

Probably, you have already taken one throughout your lifetime. And you might be going to take one in the near future. So you have to know important facts about taking OTC drugs, most especially, its side effects.

Here are a few of the side effects one must take note of.

• Cough medicines. This drug is mostly popular among younger generations because they are readily accessible in drug stores. When misused, this type of OTC drugs can cause hallucinations and is a potent high when further abused. If consumption of high doses becomes uncontrollable, it may cause vomiting, blurred vision, rapid heart rate and brain damage.

• Cold medicines. Pseudoephedrine is an active ingredient in cold medicines and this chemical is known as a stimulant. It is oftentimes associated with a cause of irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, high blood pressure and seizures when abused.

• Pain relievers. Tylenol, which is a known medication for pain contains acetaminophen. Long-term use and high doses of this type of drugs can lead to serious health problems and other side effects including diarrhea, sweating, nausea and stomach pain.

• Motion sickness pills. Vertigo and motion sickness are usually treated by dimenhydrinate. People who have abused this drug have experienced ringing in the ears, nausea, irregular heartbeat, seizures, coma and even death.

• Anti-inflammatory. Body aches, headaches, and fever are treated by numerous individuals with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen. However, these drugs could also cause peptic ulcers and kidney damage with chronic use.

• Antihistamines. Antihistamines can readily remove the symptoms of a runny, itchy nose. Nevertheless, they tend to make people sleepy.

• Combination medicines. At present, combinations of medicines may already be had through a Compounding Pharmacy in Bronx, New York. Nonetheless, researchers have discovered that when acetaminophen is combined with decongestant phenylephrine, it may cause the patient to suffer from an irregular heartbeat, tremors, and high blood pressure.

People today are lucky to have readily available and accessible drugs to reduce pain and typical sickness. But we should still be vigilant and knowledgeable before taking these drugs. We should inform ourselves of the possible side effects by asking pharmacists in Nick’s Drug Store, a Pharmacy in Bronx, New York. Most importantly, we should never think of abusing these medicines.