Most of us have a friend or family member who self-medicates but what are we doing to discourage them? Self-medication can cause many side effects and a lot of them can be detrimental to our health.
We speak to Pharmacist Norhazalina Ibrahim, founder of Kaisar Pharmacy on drug misuse and its complications.
1Twenty80: In your opinion, what is the number one health problem in malaysia?
Norhazalina Ibrahim:
In my opinion of course the number one health problem in Malaysia is diabetes. As I quote Datuk Dr. Mustaffa , “Malaysia has the highest rate of diabetes in Asia and one of the highest in the world, probably next to Saudi Arabia.” Datuk Dr. Mustaffa Embong is the executive chairman of National Diabetes Institute (Nadi). In my normal practice as well, I see majority of patients with diabetes looking for all sort of treatment options.
1Twenty80: At your pharmacy, what do you find is a major problem among your customers?
Norhazalina:
One of the major problems in any pharmacy I would say is misuse of drugs. There are certain drugs that can cause certain side effects which lead to the misuse of that particular drug. The modern lifestyle is hectic and competitive and this causes the levels of stress to be higher. Some individuals find themselves unable to cope with such stress and find alternative solutions. Thus leading to drug misuse.
1Twenty80: What are the common drugs that are misused?
Norhazalina:
Before we can identify what drugs are misused, we must know why the individual wants to misuse the drug. The feeling of being high or heavily drowsy is what misusers are seeking for. There are certain drugs that have such side effects or can be modified to obtain such effects. The OTC or over the counter drugs are not very popular among misusers, it is the prescription only drugs and Poison C category drugs that are the main targets. The popular misused drugs are painkillers, anti-depressants, steroids and cough mixtures.
Quote: The popular misused drugs are painkillers, anti- depressants, steroids and cough mixtures.
1Twenty80: How do some people obtain prescription drugs that later could lead to misuse?
Norhazalina:
There are two major categories of drugs, prescription only drugs (Poison B) and Poison C category drugs. As the name suggests, prescription only drugs can only be dispensed if the registered practising medical doctor writes a prescription for the patient. However the Poison C category drugs are at the discretion of the pharmacist to dispense. If the pharmacist thinks in his good faith that the patient needs that drug, he or she can dispense that drug under certain guidelines. Some of the very famous misused drugs do fall under the poison C category and of course if the misuser can convince the pharmacist that he actually needs that drug, it can be obtained from the pharmacy.
1Twenty80: Why is it dangerous when prescription drugs are misused?
Norhazalina:
There are several factors that make the misused drug dangerous. It can lead to health problems, addiction, accidents and poor concentration.
1Twenty80: What is your advice regarding people who self-diagnose?
Norhazalina:
As time is short and people have access to all sorts of information via the internet, self-diagnosis has become a real issue. When a person self-diagnoses, he or she assumes that they know everything there is to know. But people don’t realise that one symptom can have several different reasons in different cases. For example mood swings can be a symptom of menopause or can be due to a tumor in the brain, you will never know until you consult a medical doctor to diagnose or perform a lab test. So I would encourage everyone to stop self-diagnosis. If you have a symptom, see your doctor or visit your community pharmacist who can guide you in the right direction.
Quote: As time is short and people have access to all sorts of information via the internet, self-diagnosis has become a real issue.
1Twenty80: How can a community pharmacist help?
Norhazalina:
Community pharmacists work at the front line and for most people are the first ‘to see’ option. In their current role, they can not only treat minor aliments but can also direct the patient in the right direction. The diagnosis of minor ailments do not require major tests and can be identified by tests performed in the pharmacy. The normal total cholesterol test, blood pressure test and uric acid test are common tests provided by any pharmacy. These tools enable the pharmacist to treat or direct the patient in the right direction.
1Twenty80: What are some complications that can stem from self-medicating or drug misuse?
Norhazalina:
Self-medication or drug misuse can result in severe health problems or in the worst case, death. If a person self-diagnoses and then somehow gets the medication that he or she thinks is correct for them and uses that medication, this can have an adverse reaction from that medication which causes more harm than good.
In any case it is better to let the professionals do their job and see a doctor or pharmacist before taking any kind of medication.
1Twenty80: What is your advice to our readers?
Norhazalina:
As a practising community pharmacist, I not only dispense medicines but also provide advice and services linked to healthy living. My advice to your readers would be to trust in your local community pharmacy and pharmacist to be the first line of treatment option. Not only can pharmacists take care of your minor ailments but we can direct you in the right direction if needed. Seek your pharmacist’s advice for your health issues and in case of any uncertainty or doubt, come back and ask again. In this modern age, there are many means of communication that you can use to contact your pharmacist. WhatsApp them, call them, send an email or use any other way of communication. We will make sure that you take the right supplement and right medicine in the right way and dose, as a pharmacist this is our responsibility.