Watch out for effects of drugs

Advancement in medical science has made a wide range of medicines available in form of tablets, capsules, injections, ointments, among others, for every possible ailment. However, their therapeutic actions aside, many drugs also produce adverse effects that cause other problems apart from the sickness. A harmful or undesirable effect can result from a medicine or some intervention during any treatment. This makes it important that one should be aware of the possible adverse effects of any drug they take. Allergy in the form of skin rashes and itching can occur with any medicine taken. Similarly, diarrhoea or nausea and vomiting, sense of bloating of stomach can be caused by any medicine. Painkillers are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for musculo-skeletal pains. People tend to buy these drugs by themselves also whenever they have a headache or pain somewhere. These drugs (ibuprofen, diclofenac, aspirin, etc) cause gastric irritation resulting in nausea, vomiting and burning pain in chest or stomach. These drugs also tend to aggravate pre-existing peptic ulcer disease. Also, kidney failure can occur when these drugs are used for a long time repeatedly. Aspirin is known to cause bleeding from any site in the body. Antibiotics are life-saving. But some antibiotics such as penicillin injections can cause life threatening allergy reactions. Most of the antibiotics deplete the useful bacterial flora from the intestines. This results in increased susceptibility to intestinal infections. Antibiotics like gentamycin and streptomycin are toxic to the ear and can result in deafness. Erythromycin and Rifampicin can result in liver toxicity. Most of the drugs used for allergy and giddiness (chlorphenaramine, cinnarizine, promethazine, diphenhydramine, etc) tend to cause drowsiness. Erectile dysfunction can occur with antidepressant drugs causing much mental agony to the individual. Anti-hypertensive medicines like atenolol can cause sexual impotence over some time. Corticosteroids aggravates hypertension and diabetes. Diabetes is aggravated by drugs such as diuretics (hydrochlorthiazide, frusemide), which are used to remove extra salt and water from the body. Bronchial asthma is aggravated by drugs like propranolol used for hypertension and also by pain relieving drugs. Gout a painful condition of the toes is aggravated by diuretics and anti cancer drugs. Anticancer drugs, while killing the cancer cells, also kill the normal cells of the body, causing anaemia and reduced immunity. There is a false belief that traditional medicines are safer, but some herbs result in liver and kidney toxicity. No medicine taken in any form is 100 per cent safe. One should try to remain healthy using healthy lifestyle. Drugs should be taken only if there is a problem needed to be remedied. Every drug has product information given by the manufacturing company. Before using the medicine, try to get all information about the drug to recognise any adverse effects. Dr Pande is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital