Reduced use of ibu-para drugs advised

ALLAHABAD:Have a headache, stomachache or pain in legs, feet, knee, arms or any other partof the body take an ibu-para combination drugs and all will be taken care of. Inorder to purchase these drugs, there is neither any need for consultation andprescription from a doctor, nor do you have walk to a chemist shop!A combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen salt, relieve pain andfeverish feeling in the body. As these salts neutralise and kill pain veryeffectively, hence these ibu-para combination drugs are being used very commonlyas pain killers in most of the Indian homes today, which includes both the ruraland urban set up. When any one from the household suffers from any minorbodyache, it has become a norm to take a medicine with the combination ofparacetamol and ibuprofen salts and the pain will subside within few minutes.But have you ever given a thought to the reaction of these medicines on thebody?Allahabad additional chief medical officer Dr V K Srivastavaexpresses worry over the rampant and indiscriminate use of these ibu-para drugswhich act as anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic medicine and are easilyavailable. "In the recent few years ibu-para combination are being used as amedicine for all ailments. Available at all kinds of shops in the villages andcities, these are self-prescribed by the patients, without any consultation of aqualified doctor,'' he says.These salts damage the liver and causebleeding disorders. The prolonged use may even lead to heart failure, elevatedblood pressure, palpitations, renal failure, dry eyes and mouth and evendecrease in haemoglobin. So we should reduce the usage of such medicines tominimum, he adds.Allahabad CMO Dr P K Sinha agrees and saysparacetamol salt and ibuprofen salt both belong to the class of NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-Inflammatory drugs). If taken on an empty stomach, these lead toextreme reactions in the body. On regular consumption they can alter the `ph' ofstomach and even lead to peptic-ulcer or deudenal ulcer. Hence it is better toavoid them as far as possible.Dr G K Tripathi of CMS BailleyHospital adds: "These medicines are prescribed by the doctors as SOS which meansto be taken only if needed. Ibuprofen salt leads to nephro-toxicity (kidney orurinary tract damage) and paracetamol salt irritates the gastric mucosa liningand creates stomach problems such as acidity and even ulcers. Their use shouldbe minimal.'' Today, life expectancy has increased to 68 years ascompared to 52 years earlier. Thus, these salts which are being consumedregularly take their toll on the body. Though no research as been carried out onthe prolonged effect of these salts on the people who are above 60 years old,experts feel that many diseases found in the older generations may be linked toovermedication of salts.iGuard.org is a site on the internet whichroutinely checks the safety of medicines, looking out for potential drug-diseaseand drug-drug interactions. The iGuard risk rating for ibu-para drugs is on holdat present. They're waiting for more patients taking this medication to joiniGuard before they can provide a more accurate safety assessment on thecombination of these salts."It's advisable to stay away from thesesalts as far as possible and in case of minor headaches or temporary bodyacheopt for a head massage or body massage and home remedies. These would relieveyou of your pain and that too without any side-effects today or later in life,''doctors say.