It’s that time of the year. Almost every patient you see comes in with a sniffle, snort, cough, or wheeze. Sometimes, there is not much more we can do for our patients tackled by a virus other than to recommend an effective over-the-counter (OTC) medication to ease their suffering. Before you can recommend the best OTC medication to your patient, you must first define what do you consider to be “best?” When was the last time you stepped back to evaluate all of the current OTC medications out there thoroughly?
If you are one of those medical professionals who have been recommending the same old stand-by, common OTC medications for several years, you are not alone. Many medical professionals continue to support the same products that they have been advocating for their entire careers without evaluating the latest OTC drug innovations. However, if you haven’t recently appraised all the OTC medications out there today, you and your patients are missing out on a treasure of new and healthy alternatives that many of your patients will be interested in learning more about and trying.
Here are five things medical professionals often forget about common OTC medications.
1. The side effects
Not every patient is the same when it comes to their needs and, for some, their reactions to some OTC medicines. Some patients will experience uncomfortable side effects from some medications and others won’t be affected at all. Before recommending any medication to your patients, take a moment to pause and put yourself in their shoes. Would you like to have uncomfortable side effects from a drug that is supposed to make you feel relief?
A few examples of uncomfortable side-effects include nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, or sometimes even bleeding in the digestive tract. So, for your patient that just needed an OTC medication to ease their cold symptoms, they now have a stomach ache, uncomfortable bloating, or possibly worse. Many times, these side effects can be attributed to harmful fillers in some of the most commonly recommended OTC’s. Organic products, like those Genexa offers, are void of harmful ingredients that can cause adverse side effects.
2. Some patients prefer organic
Times have changed with patient awareness, and parents are much more careful about what they are giving to their children to ingest. An organic diet is essential to many parents today. One report shows us that 90 percent of parents responded that they turn to organic product choices in stores. Additionally, nearly a quarter of those parents report that they always buy organic, and organic products are the only ones that they allow their children to consume.
Many parents that prefer to give their children organic products aren’t aware of the organic OTC medications available to them and their families. Awareness of organic OTC alternatives is something they would deeply appreciate from their physician.
Going the extra mile to research organic OTC medications and recommending them to your patients will go a long way in building trust with your clientele. As you start sharing information and what you learn about available organic OTC medications, you may find that a few patients aren’t interested, but discover many parents respond with surprise and gratitude to have this new knowledge. Patients appreciate your shared awareness and that you recommended a different alternative to the common OTC medications that aligns with their values.
3. Long term health complications
Did you know that some acetaminophen OTC medications contain inactive ingredients that lead to long term health complications? One of the most common inactive ingredients is FD&C red 40, used as a dye in the medication. Chemical dyes are one of the most commonly used inactive ingredients, and can cause severe or adverse reactions in sensitive patients.
Corn starch is another common ingredient that gives many people abdominal discomfort and can even cause intestinal blockage in the worst cases. For that reason, many patients may neglect seeking relief at all. These patients will be most grateful to learn of OTC medications with wholesome, safe ingredients that will avoid their discomfort in search of a remedy. When choosing an acetaminophen, look for a clean, organic option versus one with harmful fillers.
4. Potential allergens in medications
A significant reason why common OTC medications pose a potential danger to your patients is the harmful inactive ingredients they contain. For ingestion, the tiniest percentage of some active ingredients is not safe enough to consume on its own. That’s why fillers are added to the formulation. Fillers are inactive ingredients that are combined with the active ingredient, so the medication is administered safely and efficiently. The potential problem is that several of these medications contain ingredients that are some of the most significant allergens to some of your patients.
What most medical professionals are unaware of (or forget to tell their patients) is that 75% of the common OTC medications contain inactive ingredients that have the potential to cause adverse side effects. Some of the most common allergens used as inactive fillers include gluten, talc, and lactose. Even just the slightest amount of these ingredients used in the dosage can lead to the discomfort associated with abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation.
5. Unsafe for vulnerable patients
Some patients with particular vulnerabilities require more attention and awareness. For example, small children, pregnant women, and elderly patients are more prone to reactions to medications and may be subject to long-term effects. According to FamilyDoctor.org, patients that have the following medical conditions should take extra precautions:
- Asthma
- Bleeding or clotting disorders
- Breathing problems
- Diabetes
- Enlarged prostate
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Gout
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Immune system disorders
- Kidney or liver problems
- Parkinson’s disease
- Psychiatric effects
- Thyroid problems
When considering these effects, common OTC medications might not be the best option available for patients prone to suffer from these conditions.
Genexa: A better alternative for your patients
At Genexa, we became aware of these five things that medical professionals often forget or remain unaware of. Because of what we learned, we created a healthier option for your patients. We only use clean and wholesome ingredients in our OTC medications. We replaced the harmful inactive ingredients with organic alternatives such as tapioca, maltodextrin, and rice bran. By doing so, you can assure your patients that when they consume Genexa products, they are consuming healthy and safe ingredients.
The next time you find yourself recommending an OTC medication, keep these five things in mind and consider supporting a healthy alternative like Genexa. Many medical professionals do forget these few things, so please do your part and share this blog with others!
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