Self ‐medication in pain management: The state of the art of pharmacists’ role for optimal Over‐The‐Counter analgesic use

ConclusionsConsidering the heterogeneity of patients ’ knowledge and behaviour reported worldwide, inappropriate use of OTC pain medication should not be underestimated. Community pharmacists are ideally placed to guide self‐medication or recommend a medical advice when needed. Embedding pharmacists in primary care pain management is essential and pharmacist‐led medication coupled with an appropriate training of pharmacy staffs should be encouraged.SignificanceAnalgesics are widely used without prescription, all over the world. They represent the largest market of OTC drugs, with an overall benefit/risk ratio favourable when appropriately used. Because of potential individual risks associated to the ailment or to the patient's behaviour, pharmacists ’ interventions have proven to optimize analgesic self‐medication, provided that pharmacy staffs are both available and more specifically trained. In the future, in pain management, especially self‐medication, pharmacists should play an increasing role and should be included in educational pro grammes and pain management guidelines.
Source: European Journal of Pain - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: REVIEW ARTICLE Source Type: research