Use of Over The Counter (OTC) analgesics frequently unsafe

At least 333,000 people in the Netherlands use OTC analgesics such as diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen unsafely. They use more than the maximum daily allowable dosage of these so-called NSAIDs and therefore increase the risk of, among others, gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney damage. Furthermore, these painkillers are also often used by people with an increased risk of serious complications. Almost one in ten people take more than the recommended maximum daily allowable dosage. These are the findings of research conducted at Erasmus MC in the Netherlands. An article about the research is published in the British Journal of General Practice (Press Release Erasmus MC, 1 April 2014).
Click here for the press release.
Click here for an abstract of the published article.

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