CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu ranks second among states across the country in witnessing highest number of deaths due to drug overdose as per a recent report by ministry of home affairs. As per the data accidental drug overdose kills at least two people everyday.
Medicos blame it on self-medication, internet medication and indiscriminate use of drugs out of habit, with sleeping pills and antibiotics being the most common drug abuses. The intake of heavy dose medicines that are freely dispensed at the pharmacies without prescriptions from doctors is a common event. However, the life-saving drugs can turn life threatening if consumed uncontrollably.
“Antibiotics are miracle drugs for sure, but there are also side effects associated with the indiscriminate use of these drugs that can potentially be life-threatening. People buy antibiotics ‘over the counter’ and pharmacists do not check the dosage or the course of the drug needed as per the medical condition of the patient.
Organ failure is a common problem due to overuse of antibiotics,” said Dr Kapali Neelamekam, senior consultant, gastro and minimal invasive surgery, Fortis Malar Hospital. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics by an individual disrupts the inbuilt capability of the WBCs to fight against the infections, thereby reducing the immunity of the body.
Regular use of antibiotics and sedatives makes body drug-resistant and in case of these ailments later in life, doctors have to prescribe stronger medication to cure the patient as medicines fail to act upon the body. Regular use of sleeping pills hampers the growth of brain cells, as they cause chemical reactions within the body organs that affect the cells.
Dr Raja Amarnath, a senior consultant at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, says, “In different studies approximately 25 per cent of adults mentioned that their sleep was not satisfactory. At least 10-15 per cent have symptoms of sleep deprivation, negatively affecting their daytime work, while 6-10 per cent meet the diagnostic criteria for insomnia. While the situation has become common, especially in youngsters, dependency on sleeping pills has also increased.”
It is not the old prescriptions that are being used for self-medication these days, but the internet. Self-medication using internet has become a common practice, especially among the youngsters.
“There are no case specific medication over Internet, but youngsters decide on taking pills and medicines over the counter without meeting a doctor and get it home delivered through medical portals. Regulation of drugs based on its medical value and potential for abuse by enforcing classification of scheduled drugs is not practiced in case of medicines prescribed over internet,” said Dr G.R. Ravindranath, secretary, Doctors’ Association for Social Equality.
