Idin Alikhani
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran
Title: The most requested drugs from pharmacies in Kermanshah without prescription
Biography
Biography: Idin Alikhani
Abstract
Introduction and Background: The impacts of self-medication on the health care costs and patients safety are very significant. Therefore, realizing drugs that is being requested more frequent by people from pharmacies can help finding a reasonable and rational solution to this problem. All around the world, it is evaluated that half of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed or sold inappropriately, and half of all patients do not take their drugs properly. Inappropriate use of drugs is costly and extremely detrimental for both individual and society.
Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 100 pharmacies (More than 80% of established pharmacies in Kermanshah) filled a 10-item researcher made questionnaire. Data were analyzed using analytic statistical programs.
Results: Results showed that the following drugs had most frequency in patients’ requests: Cap Amoxicillin 500 mg (85.7%), Cap Gelofen® 400 mg (84.4%), Tab Acetaminophen codeine (76.6%), Tab Adult cold (75.3%), Tab Ranitidine (67.5%), Amp Dexamethasone (61.0%), Syr Diphenhydramine compound (53.2%), Vial penicillin 6.3.3 (44.1%), Tab Alprazolam 1 mg (36.3%), cap Novafen® (26.5%)
Discussion and Conclusion: The most important reason of self-medication could be due to 1- Self-awareness assumption about medical and pharmaceutical issues 2- Consumption of mentioned drugs in non-serious illnesses such as common cold, headache, gastrointestinal diseases and sleep disorders 3- Frequent suffering disorders which lead to take medicine, 4- Physician’s crowded office 5- High cost of medical care services, low income and social poverty.