Self medication: need for increased awareness among general population

Abstract

In a recently published study Sugumar R et al evaluated self medication prevalence in primary dysmenorrhea in India. The results of the study prompted me to write regarding drug induced issues with self medication in primary dysmenorrhea and other diseases in general. The results of this study give some insights on the self medication pattern in primary dysmenorrhea among urban Indian women. The authors have highlighted the high prevalence (42%) along with inappropriate self-medication practices in a large number of participants. Inappropriate self-medication practices inadvertently pose the patient to both the risk of lack of efficacy in case of sub-therapeutic dose as well as adverse events in case of excess than recommended dose. Mefenamic acid, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) or its combination i.e. mefenamic acid + dicyclomine was used by close to one third (35%) of study population consumed mefenamic acid containing product for treatment for primary dysmenorrhea. NSAIDs can cause adverse events; it is important to point out some of the reported findings related respiratory, renal and gastrointestinal safety of mefenamic acid.