The doctor spoke about the common mistakes Russians make when taking pills

Unfortunately, the medicinal literacy of Russians is far from ideal. This was confirmed by analysts who presented a study on what are the most common mistakes that compatriots make during treatment and use of drugs. The top 3 included the purchase of drugs without prescriptions and prescriptions from doctors; violation of the storage conditions of medicines and (attention!) the joint use of medicines and alcohol.

So, the study says that 44% of respondents over the past three years bought prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription. Most often this was done by women (48% versus 39% of men), people with higher education (51%) and citizens with a low income (50%).

But, in fact, there can be much more such citizens: after all, not everyone knows, for example, that not only all antibiotics, but almost all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (painkillers and antipyretics) must also be dispensed by prescription.

However, this is a problem not so much of the Russians themselves, but rather of free access to such drugs and the low availability of doctors, who, in theory, should write prescriptions for them.

22% of Russians, as it turned out, do not comply with the conditions for storing drugs – but this is completely the responsibility of patients. They often naively believe that if it is indicated to store the drug in a dark and cool place, it does not mean anything, or do not read the instructions at all.

The survey showed that people without a fixed place of work (23%) and people aged 35 to 44 years (27%) store medicines incorrectly more often than others.

Well, and every fifth Russian, as it turned out, mixes drugs with alcohol. It is expected that representatives of the stronger sex did this more often (25%), but women did not refuse such sometimes dangerous cocktails (16%). Among people aged 25-34, there are 23% of such people, and among Russians with a good financial situation – as much as 33%.

18% of Russians did not pay any attention to the fact that the drug had expired. First of all, this was done by men (20% versus 17% of women), young people aged 18–24 (23%) and people with high incomes (24%).

The survey was conducted in May 2023 among 1,000 Russians aged 18 and over.

“The drug safety of the country is not only the uninterrupted provision of citizens with all the necessary medicines, but also their correct use,” the director of the SRO Association of Independent Pharmacies, head of the Alliance of Pharmaceutical Associations, Ph.D. Victoria Presnyakova. – Timely and complete examination, accurate diagnosis and properly selected therapy are of great importance in the treatment of patients and the preservation of life and health of people. It’s just team work. Doctors and pharmacists will be powerless without the help of patients, which manifests itself in responsible treatment and the correct use of medicines. Some people prescribe their own treatment, such as antibiotics, regardless of the dosage and contraindications, which can lead to the development of dangerous side effects and exacerbation of the disease.

Also, the list of contraindications and side effects when taking various medications is often ignored, which can adversely affect health and even lead to death.

Therefore, it is very important to take only those medicines that the doctor has prescribed, following the instructions for their use. In addition, it is necessary to realize that diagnosis and treatment must be carried out in a timely manner in order to prevent complications and a significant deterioration in health.

In general, responsible self-treatment is the understanding that health is the most valuable thing we have, and that it must be taken care of with all possible responsibility and seriousness.”

The expert tells why such a frivolous behavior of Russians in relation to medicines is dangerous:

1. The wrong choice of a drug and ignoring the established rules for taking it can lead to unwanted side effects, poor health and even death.

2. Incorrect dosage and duration of administration can cause poisoning, the development of resistance to the drug and reduce its effectiveness.

3. The use of expired drugs is fraught with deterioration in health, the development of side effects and allergic reactions.

4. Interruption of the course of treatment is a sure way to relapse of the disease, the development of resistance to the drug and the deterioration of health.

5. Self-treatment in case of serious diseases turns into a loss of time for diagnosis and initiation of timely treatment, which can have serious consequences for health.