Article: NECESSITY OF DOSAGE ADJUSTMENT IN CONCURRENT DRUG THERAPY IN DIABETES: EVIDENCES FROM A CROSS -SECTIONAL STUDY

Article Category: Original Research articles

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.100248

Pages: 109-111

Author: Anurag Agrawal, Archita Mukherjee, Pritam Chetri, Rimjhim Roy, Simran Gill, Sailee Rangnekar, A. Balasubramaniam *

Abstract: Diabetes treatment when gets associated with other age-related disorders, lead to various side effects that are often moderate when this is not evaluated holistically the problem does not just persist but leads to severe clinical conditions requiring emergency interventions. It was long noticed by the physicians of unrelated complications in patients on antidiabetic therapy, which prompted us to investigate the cases. Therefore the cross- sectional study was carried out in the hospitals of Gwalior on outpatients to identify potential drug-drug interactions due to concurrent uses of drugs with antidiabetic therapy which may lead to severe complications. The commonest complication was muscular pain associated with acidity. The major cause of interaction can be attributed to the nondisclosure to physicians of concurrent drug administration, most often as self-medication of drugs freely available “over the counter” of Pharmacies, which are often not attended by a competently qualified personals. Herbal medications that are considered to be safe that may not be taken by patients with known interactions. This concept of a safe drug also prevents patients from disclosing this information to the physician. It is ultimately the ability of the physicians to dig into the patient’s therapeutic regimen, besides their tendency for self-medication. On the other hand the pharmacies which practice prescription-less sales of drugs and inability to counsel every customer who is a patient, is the major cause of such drug interactions. Conclusively it is the absence of qualified and updated pharmacists that leads to problems.

Keyword: Concurrent medication, Clinical case, Diabetes, Metformin, Self-medication