Over-the-counter medications often lead to overdoses
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Intoxication of the body with medicines, unfortunately, is not uncommon. Any medications, even those sold in pharmacies without a doctor's prescription, can lead to negative consequences, ranging from poisoning and ending with a fatal outcome.
In a new study, a group of scientists from the University of Rochester, led by Timothy Wigenda, MD, and a fellow at the same university, analyzed the second annual report of the Toxicology Consortium. The results of researches of scientists are published on the pages of the journal "Springer's Journal of Medical Toxicology".
In 2010, the American College of Toxicology created its own registry, which records all cases of drug poisoning. This register is a very important component of toxicological research aimed at studying the biological safety of medicines.
The team of scientists analyzed the data for 2011 and found that during this period 10,392 cases of drug poisoning were recorded in the register. 53% of them were hospitalized with a severe form of poisoning. The most common cause of overdoses was the use of excessive amounts of medications. 37% of such cases were due to the deliberate use of drugs, and 11% - through negligence.
Sleeping pills, antidepressants, muscle relaxants and analgesic are the most common medicines that cause serious intoxication of the body.
In addition, there were 35 deaths from overdose, the cause of ten of them was abuse of non-narcotic analgesics, and another eight - with opioid analgesics.
"Opioid pain relievers are of great concern, which people often take without following the recommendations, and adjust the dosage themselves. No less dangerous consequences can cause uncontrolled reception of sleeping pills. The problem of drug abuse will not disappear until they are released without a doctor's prescription, "the researchers say.
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