Most people think of self-medication as a small risk: at worst, the medicine won’t work. But as an intensivist, Dr. Dipak Viradia regularly sees patients in the ICU because of medicines taken without medical advice. In this video, he explains how self-medication can turn into a real emergency.

Medical emergencies caused by self-medication:

• Liver damage from paracetamol overdose. Paracetamol is safe at the right dose, but taking too much, or taking several cold and flu products that all contain paracetamol, can cause serious liver damage, sometimes liver failure.
• Stomach bleeding and kidney failure from painkillers. Painkillers like ibuprofen and diclofenac can cause stomach ulcers and bleeding (vomiting blood or black stools), and can damage the kidneys, especially in elderly people, those who are dehydrated, and people with kidney disease. In dengue, they increase the risk of serious bleeding.
• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). Some medicines, including certain antibiotics and painkillers, can cause sudden swelling of the face and throat, breathing difficulty and a fall in blood pressure, which is life-threatening.
• Dangerously high blood sugar from steroids. Steroid tablets and “quick relief” injections can push blood sugar very high in people with diabetes, sometimes leading to hospital admission. They also weaken immunity and can allow serious infections to spread.
• Breathing problems from sleeping pills and some cough syrups. These can slow breathing, especially in elderly people, people with lung disease like COPD, or when taken with alcohol.
• Delayed treatment of serious illness. When symptoms of pneumonia, TB, heart disease or sepsis are suppressed with self-medication, the illness keeps progressing, and patients often reach the hospital in a much more critical condition.

Children and elderly people are at higher risk. Giving children adult medicines or adult doses, or giving elderly patients extra medicines on top of their regular ones, can quickly become dangerous.

Go to the hospital immediately if, after taking any medicine, there is: swelling of the face, lips or throat, breathing difficulty, vomiting blood or black stools, severe drowsiness or confusion, yellow eyes, very little urine, or fainting. Take the medicine strip or bottle with you.

Dr. Dipak Viradia
Chest Physician & Intensivist | Interventional Pulmonologist & ECMO Specialist
Rudrax Chest Clinic, 301, Solaris Royce, Opp. Old RTO, Athwagate, Ring Road, Surat – 395001
Appointment: +91 75676 19985
Website: www.drdipakviradia.com