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Are Poles at risk of drug addiction? Everything points to this, because we are ahead of most European countries when it comes to the consumption of drugs. We are in second place, behind France. It turns out that we accept over 2 billion medicinal products annually, and 90 percent. of these are drugs that have not been prescribed by a specialist.
As you can read on the website of the National Medicines Institute, Poland is at the forefront of European consumption countries most medications and dietary supplements. Their sales are growing year by year. Poles are increasingly trying to heal themselves. They use home first aid kits filled with over-the-counter preparations, and these – improperly stored, improperly dosed and taken completely unnecessarily – will hurt rather than help.
We swallow painkillers
The CBOS data show that in 2015 over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements were used by almost nine out of ten adults (89%). The most common were painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs (68%) and drugs to combat the symptoms of a cold or flu (68%). More than half of the respondents took vitamins, minerals and supplements to improve the body’s immunity, and more than a quarter of adults used medications to alleviate digestive system ailments. The next places in the popularity ranking were drugs for the heart, circulation, tranquilizers and hypnotics, and further weight loss and smoking cessation aids. In 2015, the Central Statistical Office (GUS) reported that over-the-counter drugs are also very often given to children (40% in the age group under 14).
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The drug and supplement market is growing
According to the report of the research company PMR, the market of over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements was worth PLN 2014 billion in 9, and already PLN 2018 billion in 13,2. It is estimated that by 2022 Poles will spend 22 billion on parapharmaceuticals. According to specialists’ forecasts, in 2020 they will allocate 5 billion for dietary supplements alone. Over-the-counter drugs and supplements are sold in kiosks, grocery stores, supermarkets and gas stations, and their manufacturers have been at the forefront of advertisers for years.
How do over-the-counter drugs harm us?
Nearly 40 percent Poles do not read leaflets attached to over-the-counter medications. And improper use of medicinal preparations has dire consequences for health. Dr. Jarosław Woroń from the Department of Clinical Pharmacology of the Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, in an interview with Newsweek, warns especially against non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac. In the United States, 17 die after complications resulting from the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. people per year. NSAIDs cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, promote the formation of ulcers, and cause inflammation of the gastric and duodenal mucosa. The new and more and more conducted studies show that they also have a negative impact on the functioning of the cardiovascular system – they increase the risk of stroke and heart attack.
The editorial board recommends:
- Can painkillers and cold remedies be combined? The doctor explains
- Drug interactions – what should I be aware of when taking medication?
- Medications that are stored wrongly are poisonous. They should not lie next to a store counter
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