OTC Medicines

[enzotabletcounter]

Depends what's caused it. Obviously advise her to avoid contact with whatever caused it and it should go away by itself. If the skin is dry then an emollient can help, anything you give her for the itching will probably just act as a placebo but if she feels she needs something then Eurax or maybe a topical antihistamine. Depending on where the reaction is, how bad it is and what's causing it, you might be able to just advise her to avoid contact with the irritant and let it go away by itself.

[sumesh]

Hello to everyone.
I see many good questions and good answers too.

The main thing to remember when buying OTC is that the personnel may not even be trained in knowing what medicine is for what, and may therefor give you wrongful info.
You should always consult with a doctor prior to buying meds on your own. Make a "table of tablets" for yourself - this would be a list of medicines you use. Also write
down the main ingredient that the medicine is made out of. This way, if you see so-called "generics", with another trade-name you know that it suits you.

[weeneldo]

No need!

Consult the pharmacist, they have much more expertise on OTC meds than your average doctor and you can just walk in and see them without an appointment. If you're buying OTC meds from a pharmacy you especially don't have to talk to your doctor as the counter staff in the pharmacy should know what they're talking about and if they don't the pharmacist definitely will.

[rafhelp]

On eurax box it says not reccomended in pregancy. I asked around and the general opinion was that you could reccommend something like aqeous calamine lotion and refer to GP

[pharma-man]

With regards to Ibuprofen and HTN,

In the BNF 'blood pressure may be raised' is listed as a side effect and in cautions and C/I it says COX-2 inhibitors should be used with caution in patients with history of cardiac failure, left ventricular dysfunction, HYPERTENSION.....

But nothing specific about Ibuprofen and hypertension.

Plus OTC doses of ibuprofen are upto 1.2g only and not the maximum 2.4g dose so should be okay I think.

Then again the SPC for anadin ibuprofen 200mg says 'Caution is required prior to starting treatment in patients with a history of hypertension and or heart/failure. Oedema, hypertension and/or cardiac impairment as renal function may deteriorate and/or fluid retention occur (see section 4.5).'

so probably best to give paracetamol lol

[SolomonQ]

With regards to Ibuprofen and HTN,...................................

if it made a significant difference would "they" let it be sold in asda? doubt it. people are makinh a mountain out of a mole hill.

[crit care]

i'd give ibuprofen to somone with hypertension....not a major issue! like you have pointed out its a caution, the use of ibuprofen alongside HTN! its not an absolute no no!

[johnep]

I Have BP, I take ibu. No Problem.
johnep

[rafhelp]

can ibuprofen be used by smokers? Because the manufacturers advise caution or refer to pharmacist/gp if the patient smokes. Why is this?

[crit care]

Patients with uncontrolled hypertension, congestive heart failure, established ischaemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and/or cerebrovascular disease should only be treated with ibuprofen after careful consideration. Similar consideration should be made before initiating longer-term treatment of patients with risk factors for cardiovascular events (e.g. hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking).

so above from the spc for ibuprofen

i'm guessing its just from a cardiovascular risk point of view....smoking AND ibuprofen couold slightly increase your risk as NSAIDs, although mroe the COX-2 inhibitors are associated with an increased risk of thrombotic events, (hence the withdrawal of some of them a few years ago)

Nothing in BNF regarding smoking

So in short i would use it....when selling it, would youu really ask the patient if they smoked as part of your WWHAM questioning???