Experts, stating that physicians, pharmacists, and patients have important responsibilities in rational drug use, emphasize the importance of patients using the medications prescribed by the physician as recommended. Experts state that among the most significant mistakes made in conscious drug use are taking too little or too much of the drug dose, taking the drug at the wrong time or at wrong intervals, and using leftover, especially antibiotics, for only 1-2 days at an incomplete dose. Emphasizing the importance of drug storage conditions, experts also remind that not every medication should be placed in the refrigerator.
Should all medications be stored in the refrigerator?
Dr. Lecturer Sultan Mehtap Büyüker, Head of the Pharmacy Services Program at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences, Vocational School of Health Services (SHMYO), made evaluations regarding drug literacy and conscious drug consumption.
Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker stated that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), a drug is defined as “a substance or product used or intended to be used to modify or examine physiological systems or pathological conditions for the benefit of the recipient.”
The definition of “Rational Drug Use” was first made in 1985
Drawing attention to the concept of Rational Drug Use (RDU), Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker said, “The WHO first defined the concept of RDU, which would emphasize the importance of this issue and provide guidance, at its meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1985. At this meeting, RDU was defined as ‘patients receiving medications appropriate to their clinical needs, in doses that meet their individual requirements, for an adequate period, and at the lowest cost to themselves and the community.’ According to the basic principles of RDU, accurate diagnosis, determination of prognosis, evaluation of treatment options, determination of appropriate treatment, and correct prescription and follow-up if drug therapy is required are important.”
Physicians, pharmacists, and patients have responsibilities in rational drug use
Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker stated that physicians play the most important role in rational drug use because it is their responsibility to diagnose the disease and prescribe medications to determine the treatment. “The only place where medication can be legally obtained is the pharmacy. Therefore, it is also the pharmacist's responsibility to provide a prescribed medication or an over-the-counter medication to the patient in the appropriate dose and as indicated on the prescription. Pharmacists undertake an extremely important task in this regard. Another important factor in rational drug use is patient compliance. Compliance determines whether the patient uses the medications prescribed by the physician as recommended. Compliance is the use of the medication in the given dose, at the recommended intervals, for the necessary duration, and in accordance with the treatment protocol,” she said.
Lack of compliance can lead to significant problems!
Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker warned that significant problems can arise from lack of compliance and listed the following:
- Taking too little or too much of the drug dose
- Taking the drug at the wrong time or at wrong intervals
- Using the wrong medication due to similar names or misreading the prescription
- Using antibacterial drugs instead of symptomatic flu treatment
- Not using the drug for its intended purpose
- Stopping medication treatment halfway without completing it
- Incorrect routes of administration
- Using medications belonging to others
- Using expired or spoiled medications
- Using leftover, especially antibiotics, for only 1-2 days at an incomplete dose
- Using medications given for symptomatic treatment, especially painkillers, until the box is empty, rather than according to the treatment duration
- Confusing the order of administration for medications to be taken consecutively
- Not paying attention to whether medications should be taken on an empty or full stomach
- Taking oral medications with beverages other than water
- Not paying enough attention to drug-drug, drug-herbal/traditional product, drug-food supplement/food interactions, or acting in accordance with opinions/suggestions from circles far from a scientific approach, can lead to significant health problems.
Rational drug use is very important in special patient groups
Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker, also emphasizing the importance of rational drug use in special patient groups, said, “Factors such as body weight, age, diseases of elimination organs like kidney failure, gender, route of administration, time of administration, environmental factors and diet, genetic factors, pre-existing disease state, drug interaction, secondary metabolic events that buffer drug effect, biological variability, chirality, tolerance, tachyphylaxis, and desensitization are important for rational drug use.”
How should medications be stored?
Stating that one of the important problems experienced during drug use is the improper storage of medications and the unconscious disposal of waste medications, Dr. Sultan Mehtap Büyüker also said the following regarding how medications should be stored:
“Although ‘Waste Drug Recycling Campaigns’ have been organized from time to time, problems still persist in this regard. Furthermore, there are many misconceptions about storing medications, such as all medications needing to be stored in the refrigerator. Not knowing the storage conditions for medications in different pharmaceutical forms can lead to their deterioration or the loss of activity of the active substance. Storage conditions for medications can vary for each drug. Therefore, patients must store their medications according to the storage conditions written in the brief product information found inside the medication boxes. Also, they should consider the doctor's and pharmacist's advice regarding drug use. Before using any medication, patients must read the instructions for use prepared for them.”