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Abstract

Over the counter (OTC) medication most common practice in India and concurrently patient complaint due to OTC encounter by healthcare practitioner also uncountable. In OTC practice one can buy medicines without prescriptions of register medical practitioner (RMP). In India, peoples are always practice OTC to relieve pain and treat symptoms of the common cold, flu, and allergies. In present study, a survey was conducted in different places of central India and collected data especially from Ratlam and Mandsaur District of Madhya Pradesh state, India. During the survey, information was obtained from the individuals used OTC medication as per pre-designed questioners. Subsequently, documented information was evaluated to find out risk of OTC medication, if any. In evaluation, it was found that about 21% OTC drug may cause moderate to severe hazardous effect to the patients used OTC medication. Patients with complaints of fever; body ache etc. used only NSAIDs from OTC and later diagnosed as chikungunya, when complaints persisted and visit doctors’ clinic. OTC medication has tremendous risk which may fatal for patients and chances of produce new complications due to misuse of drugs. So, medication should be taken after diagnosis by register medical practitioner that will make a healthy society.

Keywords

medication

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