Experts remind: these 4 types of drugs should not be taken for a long time, many people do not know
Medicine is a double-edged sword. Rational use of it is a boon for mankind, and wrong use will bring great disaster!
Nowadays, the incidence of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes is getting higher and higher, which has also created a huge group of patients who take long-term medication. However, it is often encountered in the hospital that some patients are obviously suffering from a variety of chronic diseases, but they dare not insist on taking the medicine due to fear of the side effects caused by long-term medication, which eventually leads to the aggravation of the disease and the appearance of complications.
Some patients, on the contrary, are not in any serious condition but are always worried about suffering from a certain disease, so they take a certain drug for a long time, which eventually leads to side effects. In fact, many drugs are relatively safe and have few side effects. They are suitable for long-term use, especially many drugs for the treatment of chronic diseases. Therefore, if you have chronic diseases such as hypertension or diabetes, you should stick to them as long as you can tolerate them. But there are also some drugs that are suitable for use in the acute phase of the disease, and long-term use may have serious consequences, such as the following four types of drugs.
These four types of drugs are generally not suitable for long-term use
It should be noted here that the use of drugs varies from person to person, and the pros and cons need to be weighed. It is not absolutely that the following drugs cannot be used for a long time, but it is only emphasized that in general, it is not suitable for long-term use.
1. Antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs
This class of drugs has antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and can be used for fever, acute pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and acute gout attacks. These drugs are usually not suitable for long-term use, otherwise it may cause peptic ulcer or even gastrointestinal bleeding, liver and kidney function damage, etc. For example, acetaminophen should not be used continuously for more than 3 days for antipyretics, and not more than 5 days for pain relief. If symptoms are relieved, you should seek medical attention in time.
2. Compound licorice preparation
These drugs can be used orally for cough and sputum caused by respiratory infections and colds. Because of their weak corticosteroid-like effects, they are usually used continuously for no more than 1 week. Long-term use can cause pseudohyperaldosteronism, such as water and sodium retention. , hypertension and hypokalemia and other side effects.
3. Short-acting antihypertensive drugs
Many people may have questions about this type of drug. Don't antihypertensive drugs need to be taken for a long time? This is because antihypertensive drugs are divided into short-acting and long-acting, immediate release and slow and controlled release. For long-term antihypertensive drugs, long-acting slow-release preparations are usually selected, so that blood pressure can be controlled more smoothly and blood pressure fluctuations can be avoided. Short-acting antihypertensive drugs, due to their rapid onset of action and short duration of action, are usually used when emergency blood pressure reduction is required. Antihypertensive drugs.
4. Drugs that inhibit gastric acid secretion
This class of drugs is divided into prazoles and tidines, and the representative drugs are omeprazole and ranitidine. These drugs have a strong inhibitory effect on gastric acid secretion. If they are taken for a long time, they may induce atrophic gastritis or even gastric cancer. Therefore, drugs such as omeprazole are used for peptic ulcer or gastrointestinal bleeding, and the course of treatment is usually the longest. No longer than 4 weeks.
Glucocorticoid drugs are also mentioned here. These drugs have a wide range of pharmacological effects, but the side effects are equally prominent, which is a veritable "double-edged sword". In fact, glucocorticoids are not impossible to take for a long time. Strictly speaking, they cannot be taken in large doses for a long time. Some rheumatic immune diseases require long-term use of glucocorticoids, but they are taken at maintenance doses. Because glucocorticoids have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects, some patients will use them improperly for a long time, which will eventually lead to side effects such as Cushing's syndrome, gastrointestinal bleeding and severe osteoporosis.
In a word, medicine can be said to be a double-edged sword. If used properly, it can cure diseases and save people, but if used incorrectly, it will lead to disease occurrence and even life-threatening. Therefore, I would like to remind everyone that it is best to use medicines under the guidance of doctors or pharmacists. Safe medication.
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