Experts offer guidelines for epidemic prevention "family medicine box"
Epidemic prevention and control measures have been continuously optimized and adjusted. With the arrival of the winter season of high incidence of respiratory diseases, many people have started to prepare "family medicine boxes". How to prepare medicines in a targeted manner? What contraindications should be paid attention to when taking medicine at home? In this regard, Xie Han, deputy director of the Pharmacy Department of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, has issued a guide to the "family medicine box" for epidemic prevention.
There is not only one option to prepare medicines for the symptoms
According to the characteristics of the current Omicron mutant strains with stronger infectivity but lower virulence, most of the infected people are asymptomatic, a small number are mild and common, and very few may develop severe or critical illness.
"What needs to be reminded is that asymptomatic infected people do not need to take medicine, just rest at home and maintain a good mood and physical condition." Xie Han said, "If the symptoms are relatively mild, you can also not take medicine, rest more, drink a lot Water can also usually heal itself. If the symptoms are severe, drugs can be used to relieve the symptoms. If the body temperature exceeds 38.5°C, antipyretics can be taken in moderation."
Experts remind that antipyretics, cold medicines, cough medicines, and expectorant medicines cannot treat COVID-19, but can only alleviate the symptoms caused by COVID-19. The following over-the-counter medicines are effective in alleviating symptoms of new coronary pneumonia and flu.
If fever and sore throat occur, drugs such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be selected. Children can choose acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce fever, and they should be used according to the doctor's advice or according to the dosage and time interval in the instructions.
If you have a cough, don't rush to take medicine, you can try honey water first. If you cough and expectorate, you can use ambroxol, acetylcysteine, and compound licorice tablets to relieve cough and reduce phlegm, or you can try nebulization treatment. If a dry cough occurs, drugs such as dextromethorphan, pholcodine, and compound fresh bamboo leachate can also be used.
If you have a runny nose, you can choose chlorpheniramine, loratadine, cetirizine, etc., because these drugs can also cause adverse reactions such as drowsiness and dizziness, it is recommended not to take drugs too early, you can try to strengthen nutrition and rest more Relieve the symptoms, and if the symptoms are still not relieved, take these drugs for treatment.
If nausea and vomiting occur, drink plenty of water, including fruit juice and salt water, to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. You can also take cinnarizine, Huoxiangzhengqi water, etc. If the nausea and vomiting continue to worsen, it is recommended to go to the hospital to rule out other factors.
"At present, there are different degrees of stockpiling of drugs such as ibuprofen and Lianhua Qingwen, which is actually unnecessary." Xie Han emphasized, "There are many drugs to choose from to deal with related symptoms, such as the familiar Xiao Bupleurum, Qingkailing, etc., can also achieve healing effects."
Medication contraindications need to be understood to avoid repetition and overdose
Recently, hospitals around the world have received some patients with acute liver injury caused by medication errors.
"Rational use of drugs is very important," said Xie Han. "Do not use the same type of drugs repeatedly to avoid the risk of drug overdose. For example, many compound cold medicines contain acetaminophen. Repeated use of drugs can easily lead to overdose of acetaminophen." , leading to acute liver damage. Therefore, before taking the medicine, it is recommended to read the medication instructions carefully to prevent overdose. Overdose of drugs will not only not relieve symptoms, but also lead to an increased risk of adverse reactions.” In addition to avoiding overdose, excessive use should also be avoided. "Antipyretics can only be used repeatedly every 4-6 hours. If one antipyretic is not effective, you can switch to other antipyretics. Do not overdose or stack them." Xie Han said.
When choosing a drug, you should pay special attention to the adverse reactions, contraindications, precautions, etc. in the instructions, and do not take the drug based on experience. "For example, ibuprofen, if the patient has basic gastrointestinal diseases, the risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions should be evaluated before use. If it is a patient with renal insufficiency, it is not recommended to use it. Patients with cardiovascular disease need Monitor blood pressure and assess the currently used cardiovascular drugs to avoid adverse drug reactions and interactions.” Xie Han reminded, “Do not take ibuprofen on an empty stomach, otherwise it will cause damage to the barrier function of the gastric mucosa, which is very It is prone to nausea and vomiting, which can cause stomach problems."
In addition, Xie Han emphasized that the medication must be symptomatic, "Amoxicillin and cephalosporin are antibiotics, which are used to eliminate bacteria, and the symptoms of new coronary pneumonia are caused by viral infection. Antibiotics are not antiviral, and they will hurt the body if used too much. Regardless of Neither antiviral drugs nor Chinese patent medicines have preventive functions, and there is no need to take them when there are no relevant symptoms.”
There is no need to stockpile medicine blindly, it is more effective to wear a mask to vaccinate
Regarding the "family medicine box" for epidemic prevention, experts emphasized that it is necessary to "prepare" medicines scientifically, and it is not advisable to "stock up" medicines.
"You can prepare some commonly used antipyretic and analgesics, Chinese patent medicines, and conventional cold medicines in an appropriate amount at home. You can prepare only one type of similar medicines. It is not necessary to stock up on a large number of medicines. Pay attention to the expiration date and storage conditions of medicines. Long-term use of medicines will also cause Expired waste. Especially syrup, if it is opened and stored improperly, it may cause contamination or deterioration of the liquid medicine." Xie Han said, "At present, everyone can consult medication issues and evaluate medication risks through multiple channels such as online and offline, and Internet hospitals."
Xie Han suggested that it is generally enough to keep the medicine for 3-5 days at home. If the symptoms do not relieve after this time, you can consult the hospital through the Internet or go to the hospital for treatment.
Experts remind that to fight against the virus, you need to take a good rest, don't stay up late, drink plenty of water, ensure nutrition, eat a light diet, eat more fruits and vegetables, work regularly, exercise moderately, and continuously improve your own immunity.
The best way to prevent new coronary pneumonia is to do a good job in personal protection. "Everyone should continue to maintain good personal hygiene habits, wear masks when going out, wash hands frequently, avoid crowds, and maintain social distance. If you meet the conditions, get vaccinated against the new crown virus in time , Take the initiative to protect your health.”