CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Characteristics of dispensation and use in pharmacy of Córdoba (Argentina) Authors: GRASSO S. and Paraje M.G. 1* E-mail: sergiograsso363@hotmail.com 1Cátedra de Microbiología, IMBIV-CONICET, Fac. Cs. Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, Córdoba *Ex docentes del Parcticanato Profesional de Farmacia del Departamento de Farmacia Fac. Ciencias Químicas (UNC). KEY WORDS: dispensation, pharmacy, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID), over-the-counter (OTC). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are extensively used, and complications may arise due to their inappropriate use. The characteristics of dispensation to patients using over-the-counter NSAID were analyzed. A descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study was used and we worked with a normalized procedure using a registry table including gender, age, stated reason of purchase and NSAID dispensed. Data was processed in an Excel database, and it was analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. Sample comprised 472 medicine dispensations in 15 community pharmacies in the city of Córdoba (Argentina). Women comprised 63% of the users, and 45% of the total sample were between the ages of 25-44 years. There was a concentration of 84% of the medicine in only four active ingredients: Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen (Paracetamol), Aspirin and Diclofenac, with Ibuprofen being the most dispensed (40%). Of the dispensations of aspirin, 43% were due to its antiplatelet effect. It was observed that with increasing age of the patients in the sample, the consumption of Ibuprofen decreased, while the proportion of consumption of other NSAID increased. The relationship between the consumption of NSAID and the "reason for the consultation / purchase" was observed. In the case of Ibuprofen, the purchase was mainly related to menstrual pain and in two pharmaceutical equivalents, manufactured and marketed by the same drug company, that have been named "Ibuprofen Quick Action" and "Ibuprofen Woman Strong Quick Action", significant differences in sex and the reason for the consultation / purchase consumption were observed (Chi-square test). These differences were attributable to the influence of advertising rather than to its own therapeutical properties. Those results agree with current publications of Latin America and Europe specially in the proportion of different NSAID dispensed due to the occurrence of non-specific symptoms. These studies about medicines utilization allowed evaluation of diseases and behaviors in a community context, where the pharmacist could offer drug information that contributes to knowledge and control of diseases.