Hamad General Hospital’s (HGH) paediatric clinical pharmacist Dr Houssam Aldien Gaber and adult internal medicine clinical pharmacist Dr Mounir Atchan have cautioned residents to be mindful when using
prescription medicine.

Dr Gaber asked parents and caregivers to be especially alert when giving medication to young children.

“It is very important to remember that when the child is growing up, his or her body is still developing and cannot tolerate the same medication as that of an adult. The same medication cannot even be given to siblings without proper consultation with a physician as each child’s weight, height, age and body structure is different,” he explained, adding that parents and caregivers should always consult with a physician for appropriate medication for the child.

For the adult population, Dr Atchan highlighted it is necessary to be mindful of the correct dose of medication as well as the kind of side effects it may have.

“People should take medication only when it is prescribed and for as long as the duration it is prescribed for,” he said, adding that “self-evaluating the effectiveness of the medication on the basis of one’s feelings is wrong and may actually worsen an individual’s health as the benefits of some medication take a longer time to show”.

Dr Atchan stressed that if the time and quantity of the medication is spontaneously altered, the result might be reflected in serious health problems, including injury and admission to
hospital.

Accidentally or intentionally using medication in an amount that is above that specified by a physician can result in overdosing. General symptoms of overdosing include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, dizziness, loss of balance, drowsiness, breathing problems or internal bleeding.

“To keep children safe from any kind of overdose, parents and caregivers should develop a plan. Most importantly, they should ensure that the medication is stored in a place out of the reach of the child. However, if the child takes medication without anyone noticing, then they should know the emergency steps to be taken,” Dr Houssam suggested.

However, some medication at the required dose can pose a health risk to some. “It is highly recommended that people follow up with their physician when they start taking any medication. Recent studies have shown that due to genetic factors, some people might feel the effect of a particular medication more than another person,”
Dr Atchan said.

He also highlighted that although self-medication is a common practice among people all over the world, it should be avoided whenever possible. People have become accustomed to using certain common painkillers without realising that even those should be taken within the required dose per day.

To avoid risks to health, Dr Atchan recommended that “when any kind of medication is bought over the counter, it is of prime importance to read the instructions on the labels, which are developed after each medication has been studied extensively by the experts”.