Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice

Self‑medication of irritable bowel syndrome and dyspepsia: How appropriate is it?

Authors

. Ramin Niknam 1
. Sarah Mousavi 2
. Alireza Safarpour 3
. Laleh Mahmoudi 4
. Paria Mahmoudi 5

1 Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Department of Internal Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran

2 Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

4 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

5 Pharmaceutical Science Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract
Objective: Self‑medication is common among patients with gastrointestinal (GI) 
symptoms. This study was performed to evaluate self‑medication among patients 
who fulfilled irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and dyspepsia diagnostic criteria and to 
investigate the appropriateness of self‑medication with chemical and herbal drugs.
Methods: Aprospective, descriptive cross‑sectional study was conducted in outpatient’s 
GI clinics at Shiraz from November 2011 to May 2012. A GI specialist visited the patients 
and recruited those who had IBS (base on Rome III adapted criteria) or functional 
dyspepsia. We surveyed self‑medication among these patients, using a questionnaire 
containing specific questions about self‑medication.
Findings: One thousand four hundred and forty‑seven patients visited by the GI 
specialist during the study period. Seven hundred and forty‑seven patients had the 
inclusion criteria, 337 of them fulfilled criteria for IBS, with IBS‑mixed (52%) being the 
most prevalent subtype, and 410 patients had dyspepsia. Overall, 78.8% of the total 
participants had recently sought medical attention for their GI complaint. Twenty‑eight 
percent of patients selected inappropriate medication for their GI complaints. The 
H2‑blockers class were most common medicines reportedly used. We did not find any 
significant relationship between age, gender, level of education, marital status, and 
self‑medication frequency.
Conclusion: Patients who fulfilled criteria for IBS had a high tendency to self‑treat their 
GI symptoms, use of acid‑suppressive agents was common among patients. Around 
one‑third of patients self‑treated GI symptoms inappropriately. Consequently, the 
concept of self‑medication among patients has to be revised. We recommend conduction 
of educational programs to improve self‑medications selection and attitude among 
patients to reduce the burden on other health care resources.

Keywords

Dyspepsia
Iran
irritable bowel syndrome
self‑medication
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Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice
Volume 5, Issue 2
Spring 2016
Pages 121-125

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