Scary Thought: Could You OD From OTC Meds?
Even the simple medications you keep in your purse could be deadly. (Photo: Zach Desart)
Unless you’re an M.D., chances are you’re at risk of overdosing on common drugs when you take OTC meds, according to a new study published in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing.
Researchers gave people boxes of medicine—brands and generics you could easily pick up at any drugstore—and asked them to list the active ingredients and state whether they could be taken together.
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Participants across the board were able to identify the active ingredients in the meds (yay for being able to read labels!). But only those with medical expertise knew which ones were safe to take at the same time. As a result, people often take way more than the recommended amounts of common drugs like acetaminophen. (Have a spoonful of cough syrup with a few Tylenol caplets and you’re already there.)
OK, but is it really all that bad to throw back a lot of something as harmless as Tylenol or aspirin? It might be a bit surprising, but just because you don’t need an Rx for the stuff doesn’t make it totally safe. Too much acetaminophen can lead to liver disease or failure, and ingesting more than the recommended amount of something like aspirin or ibuprofen can cause ulcers or stomach bleeding and up your risk of heart attack or stroke.
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Sounds pretty serious.
To truly OD, you’d likely need to take several doses of multiple medications within a day or two. If you’re regularly reaching for OTC bottles, though, check in with your doc to be sure the pills you’re popping are a healthy mix.
By Laurel Leicht
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