Study about the current use of non-prescription drugs in community pharmacy patients
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60103/phc.v26.e858Keywords:
non-prescription drugs; community pharmacy; pharmacist; dispensingAbstract
Introduction: The poor control and monitoring that is sometimes done during the dispensing of non-prescription drugs, coupled with the increase in the acquisition of these medications over the internet, generates significant concern about the use that is being made of them. The aim of this study was to analyze the actual current use of non-prescription drugs in community pharmacies.
Methods: a cross-sectional observational study was carried out on patients who went to the community pharmacy to pick up non-prescription drugs. A questionnaire was elaborated in which demographic variables and data about the drugs dispensed, the patient's knowledge of the drug and medication-related problems were analyzed.
Results: Most of the participants were women, aged 31-45 years. The most dispensed medications were analgesics/anti-inflammatories, antihistamines, expectorants, anti-influenza, laxatives, analgesics/antipyretics, decongestants and insomnia drugs. Seventy-one percent of the respondents claimed to have information on the medication dispensed, with 50% of the information having been provided by a pharmacist. No indication errors or adverse effects were observed, but in 18% of cases the duration of treatment was longer than recommended.
Conclusions: This study shows a correct use of non-prescription drugs in most of the population analyzed due, at least in part, of the patients' high degree of knowledge about their treatment, provided mostly by pharmacists.
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