thanks in part to the accelerated pace of
switching drugs from prescriptiononly
to non-prescription status. More
than 600 OTC preparations have
ingredients or recommended dosages
available only by prescription 2
decades ago. More than 800 OTC
drugs are promoted as treatment for
the common cold, and the number of
OTC anti-diarrhea products exceeds
100 (Dickey & Arnold, 1997;
Rheinstein, 1997).
Medication interactions may occur
among prescription OTC drugs, alcohol,
and alternate medications. Such
interactions predispose the older adult
to drug-related illnesses, which
account for an estimated 15% to 23%
of admissions, 1% to 5% of office visits,
and 1 of 1,000 deaths annually
(Beard, 1993; Torrible & Hogan, 1997).
This study investigated the extent of
the use of nonprescription drugs
among elderly individuals. The following
are specifically addressed:
● Symptoms treated with OTC medications.
● Categories of OTC medications.
● Frequency of use.
● Source of information on OTC.
● Adverse drug interactions.
● Demographic factors.
● Perceived health.
● Number of chronic diseases.
● Other interventions used concurrently
with OTC medications.