L
LequteMan
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A General Practitioner, Dr Ibrahim Ogunbi on Tuesday warned against excessive use of pain relieving drugs ,including paracetamol .
Ogunbi, who practises at a Lagos-based private hospital, Providence Hospital, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said excessive consumption of pain relieving drugs could cause severe liver injury.
Ogunbi said many patients ignorantly take drugs either prescribed by the doctor or over-the-counter drugs without reading the labels to know the exact amount to take.
"The appropriate thing patients should do is to read labels of drugs prescribed by the doctors or over-the-counter drugs to prevent taking overdose.
"When Paracetamol, used to treat pains such as headaches and fever is used appropriately, side effects are minimal.
"It is when patients use them in excess, especially when they feel they have pains that is chronic, that is when severe liver injury could occur.``
The doctor said that chronic use of pain relieving drugs was common and that many patients were ignorant on how to use such products.
He urged patients to seek medical help when they felt sick, rather than resorting to self -medication.
Ogunbi, who practises at a Lagos-based private hospital, Providence Hospital, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said excessive consumption of pain relieving drugs could cause severe liver injury.
Ogunbi said many patients ignorantly take drugs either prescribed by the doctor or over-the-counter drugs without reading the labels to know the exact amount to take.
"The appropriate thing patients should do is to read labels of drugs prescribed by the doctors or over-the-counter drugs to prevent taking overdose.
"When Paracetamol, used to treat pains such as headaches and fever is used appropriately, side effects are minimal.
"It is when patients use them in excess, especially when they feel they have pains that is chronic, that is when severe liver injury could occur.``
The doctor said that chronic use of pain relieving drugs was common and that many patients were ignorant on how to use such products.
He urged patients to seek medical help when they felt sick, rather than resorting to self -medication.
