Advancement in medical sciences has brought much improvement in general health and longevity of people’s life. Most of the diseases which were incurable before like tuberculosis, cancer, e.t.c., have treatments available.

There is a wide range of medicines available in form of tablets, capsules, injections, ointments, e.t.c., various forms, for every possible ailment. But apart from their main therapeutic actions, many drugs produce adverse effects which cause other problems apart from the sickness.

Adverse effect is a harmful or undesirable effect resulting from a medicine or some intervention like surgery. There are certain medical conditions which can be potentiated by use of a particular drug due to its adverse effects.

 Therefore it is important that   one should be aware of the possible adverse effects of any drug he takes.

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 tablet or capsule taken.

Pain killers   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, e.t.c.) 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. Apart from this, they cause kidney failure when used for a long time repeatedly. Aspirin is known to cause bleeding from any site in the body.

Antibiotics when used for any infection in the body are life saving. But some antibiotics like penicillin injections can cause life threatening allergy reactions. Most of the antibiotics deplete the useful bacterial flora of 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, promethazine, diphenhydramine, e.t.c.) tend to cause much drowsiness. Thus while   providing relief to a person suffering from allergy; these drugs impair his working ability.

A person using drugs like cimetidine for gastritis can suffer from gynecomazia (enlargement of male breast) after some time, which is more troublesome than the pain of gastritis.

Similarly erectile dysfunction can occur with antidepressant drugs causing much mental agony to the individual. Anti hypertensive medicines like atenolol can also cause sexual impotence over some time.

Many drugs like corticosteroids tend to aggravate hypertension and diabetes.

Diabetes is aggravated by drugs like 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 of the body also kill the normal cells of the body causing anaemia and reduced immunity, thus impairing the overall resistance of the body.

The list of adverse drugs is very very long. As there are number of drugs, there are number of adverse effects. Any drug taken in injection form will cause the adverse effect to appear faster as the action will be rapid.

 There is a false belief prevalent among people that traditional medicines are safe as compared to modern medicine. The traditional medicines like some kind of herbs used result in liver and kidney toxicity.

No medicine taken in any form is 100% safe. One should try to remain healthy by means of a healthy life style. Drugs should be taken only if there is a problem needed to be remedied.

People should be aware that the medicine they are taking can produce some adverse effects. Every drug has product information given by the manufacturing company. Before using the medicine one should try to get all information about the drug. Thus he or she would recognize any adverse effect occurring and it can be managed immediately.

Dr. Rachna Pande
Specialist internal medicine-

Ruhengeri Hospital
E-mail-rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk