Undisclosed self-medication--a clinical pitfall.
Over-the-counter medication may produce side-effects or precipitate hospital admission. Our patient's self-medication, initially not admitted, led to much mental and physical morbidity.
Aged↗
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Results for “Self Medication”
Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.
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Self-medication of migraine headaches with freebase cocaine.
The following report describes a patient who began cocaine use as a self-treatment for migraine headaches and developed a full-blown cocaine dependency disorder. Treatment implications are discussed in relation to the self-medication hypothesis of addictive disorders. The discussion concludes that both initiating and perpetuating factors in substance abuse must be addressed for effective treatment to occur.
Adult↗
Depression and self-medication with nicotine: the modifying influence of the dopamine D4 receptor gene.
This study evaluated whether there are genetic subgroups of depressed individuals who are more or less predisposed to engage in self-medication smoking practices. Smokers (N = 231) completed self-report questionnaires of depression and smoking practices and were genotyped for the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene. A significant interaction (DRD4 Genotype x Depression) was found for stimulation smoking and negative-affect reduction smoking. Specifically, these smoking practices were significantly heightened in depressed smokers homozygous for the short alleles of DRD4 but not in those heterozygous or homozygous for the long alleles of DRD4. These preliminary results suggest that the rewarding effects of smoking and the beneficial effects of nicotine replacement therapy for depressed smokers may depend, in part, on genetic factors involved in dopamine transmission.
Adult↗
Mortality during the winter flu epidemic--two cases of death associated with self-medication.
We report two cases of mortality associated with the recent winter influenza outbreak. Both cases were associated with self-medication. In one case an elderly lady died from haemorrhagic duodenitis induced by over the counter ibuprofen. In the second case the lady died from the consequences of exceeding the recommended doses of paracetamol by combining doses of the generic product with proprietary flu-remedies and Tylex (paracetamol and codeine).
Acetaminophen↗
Meconium during labour--self-medication and other associations.
Prior to artificial rupture of membranes, 498 women were questioned about obstetric and social factors including self-medication during pregnancy. Caesarean section (P less than 0,01) and low Apgar scores (P less than 0,001) were significantly more common in pregnancies complicated by fetal meconium passage. Meconium passage was more common in women who had recently taken castor oil (P less than 0,01) and possibly herbal substances called 'sihlambezo' (trend P less than 0,2). Use of laxatives or enemas and other obstetric risk factors were not associated with meconium passage.
Castor Oil↗
[Dangers of self medication].
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Medication Errors↗
Self medication and health habits in the management of upper gastrointestinal symptoms.
Upper gastrointestinal symptoms are a common complaint among the general population but only a small proportion of sufferers seek medical advice. The aim of this study was to examine what kind of perceptions persons using self medication have about the causes of their gastrointestinal symptoms, whether they have made any health-related lifestyle changes, and whether visits to a physician are related to lifestyle changes. A pharmacy-based survey was done in 10 pharmacies in the Helsinki area in 1995. The questionnaire was completed by 292 customers. The response rate was 53%. Respondents in a population-based health interview survey (n = 10,410) were used as a comparison group for poor health-behavior (consumption of tobacco, alcohol, coffee). The most common perceived causes of gastrointestinal symptoms were poor diet, coffee, and stress. Ignorance about possible causes of symptoms was especially common among less educated respondents and among those persons who had never visited a physician due to their symptoms. Respondents were significantly more often smokers and they had attempted to reduce their coffee and alcohol consumption more often than the general population. Those who had visited a physician during past year, less often had poor health-behavior and they had better knowledge about the possible causes of their symptoms. They had also made lifestyle changes more often, but after adjustment for background characteristics, physician visits were positively correlated only with coffee reduction. Counseling about healthy lifestyles, especially about smoking, should be increased in physician consultations and in pharmacies for all patients and customers having gastrointestinal problems.
Adult↗
Telematics applications to support the role of the community pharmacists as self-medication advisors. TESEMED Consortium.
One of the applications developed within the EU-funded projects TESEMED and TESEMED-II is a program for the information and continuous training of community pharmacists, with the aim to empower them as advisors of the citizens about self-medication topics. Several programs are being developed on the basis of ad-hoc developed protocols about minor ailments (currently, cold and flu, haemorrhoids, constipation and cough). Each program includes three modules: a hypertextual version of the protocol, an interactive scheme of it, and an educational tool called Encounter Simulator, that trains the pharmacist about the protocol by means of simulated pharmacist-customer interactions. The testing of these applications with 84 community pharmacists offers positive results in terms of expectations, program characteristics and perceived usefulness.
Common Cold↗
Self-medication in a small community.
(1) Simultaneous recording of doctor/patient contacts and chemists' sales were made during a period of two weeks in a small self-contained community.(2) The conclusion of previous studies, using different methods, that non-prescribed medicines are taken twice as often as those prescribed by doctors, is confirmed.(3) The possibility that self-medication may conceal the onset of serious disease is discussed.
Community Medicine↗
Positive diagnosis of self-medication with homatropine eye drops.
A 25-year-old man with a variety of unusual ocular symptoms was fully investigated and no abnormality discovered. The suspicion of self-medication with a mydriatic was confirmed when homatropine was isolated in his tears. We describe a method for collecting tears which allowed biochemical confirmation at leisure.
Adult↗
Treatment compliance and self-medication in asthma in France.
A study was carried out among asthmatic patients in order to determine their compliance to treatment and self-medication. Data collection used a self-administered postal questionnaire as tested in a previous study. The population under study included 450 asthmatic patients; 370 answered; their mean age was 47 +/- 16 yrs and 44% were men. An aerosol was the preferred route of administration (41%). Eighty two percent of the patients tended to reduce the doses following improvement; 80% claimed to know treatment for attacks; 90% had already been using an inhaler, although only 62% had been shown how to use one. Forty eight percent had already bought drugs without prescription, especially patients within the 25-34 yrs age group. This study is consistent with similar surveys performed in other populations. Improved quality of information about treatments and how to use drugs is higher in patients with chronic forms of asthma involving unpredictable acute attacks.
Adolescent↗
Self-medication with pilocarpine among outpatients in a glaucoma clinic.
A recording medication monitor and fluorescein technique were used to study self-medication by 82 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma for whom pilocarpine eye drops 3 times a day had been prescribed. Of these patients 34 (41%) missed 6 or more doses during a 20-day period, and for 35 (43%) an 8-hour dose interval was exceeded at least 20% of the time. Consequences may include lack of effectiveness in preventing visual loss and unnecessary prescription of more potent, and more toxic, drugs.
Aged↗
Self-medication with antimalarial drugs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, using a questionnaire to assess the extent of self-medication with antimalarial drugs and malaria treatment-seeking behaviour among patients attending out-patient treatment at Mnazi mmoja dispensary. It was found that 15.3% of respondents admitted to having ever used malaria chemoprophylaxis while 8.0% reported to be current users of chemoprophylaxis. Among the current users of malaria chemoprophylaxis, some reported having used quinine and Fansidar. While 71.7% reported having treated themselves with home-kept antimalarial drugs for a suspected malaria fever, 14.7% consulted traditional healers. The data suggest the need for increasing public awareness on malaria and appropriate use of antimalarial drugs.
Antimalarials↗
Hepatic iron overload associated with self-medication.
A patient with the incidental finding of an elevated serum ferritin level was found to have hepatic iron overload associated with iron injections. Liver disease is an example of one of the potential complications of folk remedies or patient self-medication that physicians may encounter, especially along the US-Mexican border.
Diagnosis, Differential↗
[Self-medication of 193 travelers in the tropics. Recommendations for clinical counseling of tropical travelers and organization of a tropical travel pharmacy].
Medical advice for the traveller is of increasing importance since in the past decade in industrialized countries there is a steady increase in numbers of travellers and distance travelled. Self medication was evaluated in 193 travellers to malaria-endemic areas. Diarrhoea, fever and headache were the most frequent symptoms. Antidiarrhoeal agents, analgetics/antipyretics, antibiotics and oral contraceptives were the drugs most often used by travellers. One case of mefloquine-resistant and chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum malaria acquired in West Africa was reported, another patient took pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine because of suspected malarial fever. The main reasons for drug consumption in travellers to tropical and subtropical areas are functionally divided into 4 groups: vaccination and prophylaxis, medication during the outward and return journey, illness occurring during stay abroad and long-term medication. This classification should be considered when medical advice is given for travellers and is the basis for choosing the contents of a pocket dispensary for travellers.
Adolescent↗
[Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of the population of the Czech Republic to self-medication I: Knowledge of and information on drugs].
A large survey carried out from June to September 2002 in the territory of the Czech Republic found and analyzed the knowledge of the population of the Czech Republic in relation to self-medication and o-t-c drugs and revealed the main problematic areas from the viewpoint of the public. The survey was particularly focused on the comprehensibility of information in drug information sheets, potential habit-formation, possible misuse and overdose of o-t-c drugs, safety of natural remedies, and possible interactions between o-t-c and prescription drugs. It is obvious that people continue to be afraid of possible undesirable effects of drugs. More than one third of responders consider o-t-c drugs safe from the viewpoint of habit-formation, more than 75% of responders are aware of a risk of misuse and overdose, 79% of responders view natural drugs as safer than the synthetic ones, and 73% of responders are completely sure that there exist possible interactions between drugs.
Adult↗
Life stress, physiological and subjective indexes of negative emotionality, and coping reasons for drinking: is there evidence for a self-medication model of alcohol use?
Alcohol use is often viewed as means of coping with distress, but support for this model has been inconsistent. The author examined stress and negative emotionality and their interaction as predictors of drinking motives in a sample of college drinkers. Both physiological and self-reported reactivity to a mood induction, and self-reported trait negative affect, were assessed. High stress was associated with coping motives, particularly among individuals who exhibited electrodermal reactivity to the mood induction. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity was associated with coping motives. Electrodermal and RSA reactivity and stress were unrelated to enhancement and social motives. Self-reported mood reactivity and trait negative affect were not associated with any of the drinking motives. These findings offer some support for the self-medication model of alcohol use.
Adaptation, Psychological↗
[Acetylsalicylic acid in self-medication of migraine. A pharmacy-based observational study].
BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of acetylsalicylic acid in the treatment of acute migraine attacks by self-medication under daily life conditions when bought in a pharmacy and also the ability of patients to self-diagnose correctly. METHODS: A total of 296 patients were recruited from 156 pharmacies and recorded up to 3 migraine attacks. Following an advisory discussion the pharmacists gave a questionnaire to persons who had purchased acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin Migraine) in the pharmacy to treat migraine. A total of 578 questionnaires containing 36 questions about demographic details, headache phenotype, medical history, efficacy over 2 h and tolerability of the preparation were analyzed. RESULTS: The IHS criteria (1988) for migraine were identified correctly by 92.7% of the patients. In 66.3% of the attacks, the intensity of the headache was reported as severe. In 60% of the documented attacks, a decrease from severe or moderate to mild or no headache was recorded after medication, and freedom from headache was achieved in 35.8%. The effect was reproducible over 3 migraine attacks. Nausea, photophobia and phonophobia were reduced by 71-86% compared to the baseline level. Side-effects were reported twice as often by the participants in response to closed questions than to open questions (16.6 vs. 8.3%). CONCLUSION: A high percentage of migraine patients are capable of diagnosing their condition themselves when they seek advice in a pharmacy. The data on efficacy confirm the results from controlled clinical studies. The same parameters as those used in controlled clinical studies can also be recorded in pharmacy-based observational studies, therefore, the safety and tolerability of the medication can be recorded under real conditions.
Adult↗