European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                To your health ing nonprescription medications can be hazardous by Janet Agostino medical writer n enlisted army Soldier started taking the drug ibuprofen better known under various Trade names such As motrin Suprin or advil for knee pain several years ago. He took 10 to 12 tablets a Day every Day to help stave off the constant discomfort. When the Soldier came to the Lan Stuhl army regional medical Center in West Germany this year to be treated for the flu Laboratory tests showed he was suffering from serious kidney failure. Or. Maj Mary Branton a kidney specialist who treated the 35-year-old Soldier does not know that the ibuprofen was the initial cause of the kidney failure but suspects it was a major contributing  the Soldier was sent Back to the United states where in the future he probably will need dialysis or a kidney transplant. This Soldier s experience is a dramatic Case but an example of what can happen if Over the counter medications Are misused said Branton the military s Only kidney specialist in Europe. When taken As directed Over the counter medications in general Are Safe and effective for what they Are meant to do said it. Co l. Owen Hillberg chief of pharmacy services at Lan Stuhl. However just because Over the counter drug s can be bought without a doctor s prescription does not guarantee that they Are harmless or do not have Side effects in some situations. Potential problems can occur if the medications Are. Taken for periods longer than recommended taken in quantities that exceed the recommended dosage or taken with other medications. There is also a danger if those taking the medications have chronic medical problems. We be adopted a notion that there is something distinctly different Between Medicine sold Over the counter and by prescription said or. It. Col Eric Schoomaker Deputy commander for clinical services at the medical Center in Lan Stuhl. Pain relievers and other nonprescription drugs usually arc meant to be taken for Short periods of time for acute situations such As a headache backache or cold said 1 St it. Paul Benne a pharmacist at the Frankfurt army regional medical Center. There Are circumstances when certain drugs can be used safely for Long periods of time under the supervision of a physician to ensure the patient does not have undiagnosed problems which could be worsened by the nonprescription drug Branton said. Prolonged use of pain relievers without a doctor s supervision can damage the kidneys and liver As Well As cause other serious medical problems. Some of the most frequently used Over the counter medications Are the pain relievers aspirin acetaminophen and ibuprofen. These three drugs Are the principle ingredients found in the majority of Over the counter pain relievers that Are sold under an increasing variety of Trade names. Some clinical reports have linked ibuprofen sold also As medi Pren and halt ran to serious Long term health problems including kidney failure according to a Washington Post article. Until 1985, ibuprofen was available by prescription Only. Since then it has been approved As an Over the counter medication in doses lower than those available through prescription. There is Little risk if the drug is taken by those who have no underlying medical problems and used for a Short period of time. Those at increased risk for kidney damage include the elderly individuals with known or undiagnosed kidney disease liver disease heart disease or diabetes Branton said. Aspirin found in the Medicine cabinets of most american households is one of he oldest pain relievers on the Market and new uses still Are being found for it. Despite aspirin s enduring popularity As a pain killer it is a potent drug. Side effects can include stomach ulcers delayed clotting of the blood and respiratory problems. It also has been associated with Reye s syndrome in children an uncommon but serious disease. Patients taking High doses of aspirin for medical conditions such As arthritis May want to ask the pharmacist for specially coated aspirin which will protect the linings file prolonged use of pain relievers without a doctor s supervision can damage the kidneys and liver As Well As cause other serious medical problems. Of the stomach from irritation or the possibility of ulcers Hillberg said. Acetaminophen also known under the Trade name tylenol is something that everybody uses but very few people know what harm it can cause said or. Maj Jatinder n. Kaushal a specialist in disorders of the stomach and intestinal  Lan Stuhl. Acetaminophen also is the principle ingredient in Datril Papadol. And anacin. The drug is extremely poisonous when taken in Large doses that is in quantities greatly exceeding the recommended dosage and can cause irreversible liver failure. In addition the effects of tylenol poisoning Are not noticed immediately but can occur a Day or two after the drug is ingested when the victim will Start suffering nausea or vomiting he said. By then damage to the liver May be fatal depending on the amount ingested. Prompt treatment for a tylenol overdose is essential in preventing death. When used appropriately tylenol is a Safe and effective drug for lowering fever and a Good alternative to aspirin for children Hillberg said. It also comes in Many convenient dosage forms for different Ages. Consumers should be aware that Many Over the counter medications contain the same ingredients even though they have different names. For example certain types of Alka Seltzer commonly used for stomach upset contain aspirin. There is a likelihood of Side effects when these medications containing the same ingredients Are used together Schoomaker said. Consumers should read the labels for Over the counter medications and faithfully follow the directions. The physician and pharmacist should be told what nonprescription medications Are taken on a regular basis if the consumer is under medical care or taking prescription drugs. Alcohol should not be mixed with medications. Alcohol increases the effects of drowsiness caused by some medications such As antihistamines. Excessive alcohol intake also damages the liver Bone marrow and the nervous system making people More susceptible to medical problems when mixing alcohol with medications. Nor should excessive amounts of nonprescription drugs be taken. If the recommended amount of a pain reliever does not kill the pain the answer is not to take More said Kauscha. Perhaps the Best advice of All is to think twice before reaching for an Over the counter medication. Said Schoomaker every drug is potentially injurious. We walk a tight rope Between the Good and deleterious effects when using any  pms and progesterone associated press progesterone the most widely proscribed treatment in the United states for premenstrual syndrome does no significantly improve symptoms of the disorder according to a major study the University of Pennsylvania study examined 168 women who reported various pms symptoms including irritability mood swings and breast tenderness pms afflicts As Many As 7 million american women the women in the study received vaginal Page 16 the stars and stripes suppositories containing the hormone progesterone for two months followed or preceded by two months of treatment with a Placebo. Premenstrual symptoms were not significantly improved by progesterone compared with Placebo in any measure used in the study the authors led by researcher Ellen Freeman reported in the journal of the american medical association. While a few women reported some improvement with progesterone alone the number was not statistically significant says Freeman of the University s department of obstetrics and gynaecology forty four of the 121 women who completed the study in 1988 reported a decrease of 50 percent or More in pms symptoms. But because All of the women had received both progesterone and a Placebo researchers said the improvement could not be attributed to the hormone. Why those women did improve we can Only speculate Freeman said they May have improved tuesday August 14, 1990 because they were getting a lot of Good medical attention and they Felt supported they Felt  the participants were aged 18 to 45. In an accompanying editorial or. Howard j. Osofsky of Louisiana state University medical Center noted that previous studies have questioned progesterone s Benefit in treating pms. But the new study is the largest he said and is important in pointing out in the most convincing manner to Date the Lack of substantiation of beneficial effects of progesterone treatment for  progesterone suppositories must be prescribed by a physician and Are the most common medical treatment for pms Freeman said. The dosages used in the study were higher than those usually administered but none of the women reported significant ride effects she said. Side effects include changes in menstrual pattern bloating or weigh gain and breast tenderness of 0