Nokea
A patient tells the clinic nurse that he or she has been taking over-the-counter (OTC) Pepcid to relieve acid indigestion for several years. This is the first time the patient has ever reported this issue to a health care provider. As part of the teaching plan for this patient, the nurse explains what risk associated with not sharing OTC drug use with the provider?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: OTC drugs allow patients to self-diagnose and treat routine signs and symptoms without seeing a health care provider. This self-prescribed treatment, however, could mask a more serious underlying medical problem and result in a poor outcome for the patient. The issues of drug rebound and drug interaction need to be considered, but the safety issue related to self-diagnosis and self-prescription presents the greatest risk to the patient. Patients should always be encouraged to discuss the use of OTC products with their health care provider.