Prescription-free painkillers must be sold with warning signs in future. The Federal Council approved a regulation to prevent consumers from taking active substances such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, Diclofenac or acetylsalicylic acid longer than foreseen.
According to studies, one fifth of women and almost one third of men take such Analgetica longer than prescribed four days, it was said in explanatory memorandum to Regulation. For example, an investigation by Robert Koch Institute 2014 showed that one in five patients takes painkillers longer than recommended maximum duration. Many of m said that y had not read leaflet.
If ingestion or overdose is too long, such agents may cause side effects such as gastric bleeding, liver and kidney damage or strokes. This is already indicated on package leaflet.
The so-called analgesics warning regulation refers only to freely available-for-sale funds that are used to treat mild to moderately severe pain or fever. The initiative for new law came from Federal Ministry of Health.
According to regulation, it is said that "in case of pain or fever without medical advice no longer applies than is given in package leaflet."
The long-term consequences of long-term consequencesAnything but harmless: why painkillers can be harmful – and who needs to be careful
Those who swallow painkillers occasionally do not have to worry. However, a long-term intake is associated with risks: up to paracetamol almost all preparations attack stomach mucosa. All active ingredients can damage kidneys, overdosed paracetamol causes liver failure. A recent, retrospective study shows a correlation (but not necessarily causality) between ingestion of painkillers and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Ace can cause seizures of breathlessness in asthma patients, and it inhibits blood clotting.
PregnancyIbuprofen and Ace are allowed to take women only in first two-thirds of pregnancy. Paracetamol has so far been considered harmless. In observational studies, re were indications that children whose mors had taken paracetamol during pregnancy were more likely to suffer from asthma, ADHD or testicular highs – but results are controversial. The Embryotox.de Internet portal continues to classify paracetamol as harmless at moment.
Old people and childrenIn old age performance of liver and kidneys decreases. Drugs that are removed from se organs are refore kept longer in body. This also applies to pain relievers. Children with fever should never get an ace without a medical consultation, because in connection with this a rare but dangerous cerebral inflammation has occurred. *
Naproxen and Diclofenac are prohibited until age of twelve or 16 years. Ibuprofen and paracetamol are lower doses in children.
Correction Note: * In an earlier version of box, children are not likely to get aspirin. Meant was not brand aspirin, but active ingredient ace. Since a causal relationship between occurrence of mentioned disease (Reye syndrome) and ingestion of ACE is not absolutely unequivocally substantiated, we now chose a more cautious formulation here.
Date Of Update: 09 June 2018, 12:02
