Intake of excessive gastric pills can cause gastric ulcer among 45 per cent of patients in the country, BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed said at a seminar on Sunday.
"Overuse of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) or commonly known as gastric pills also causes various complications including deficiency of calcium, magnesium, vitamin-12 and iron in the human body," he said.
He came up with the observations while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on 'Overuse of PPI: A review of emerging concern' organised by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
The BSMMU VC said a patient should not abruptly halt the intake of medicines when required to consume rather he/she should gradually decrease and end the doses.
There is also overuse of antibiotic pills in the country, leading to various physical complications. "Due to antibiotic resistance, more people will die by 2050 than coronavirus in the country," he said.
He requested all to follow the health guideline as it was abided by during the peak period of coronavirus infections.
Mr Ahmed also urged all to remain alert about the outbreak of monkey pox.
Dr Md Razibul Alam, a gastroenterology professor at BSMMU, presented a keynote paper at the seminar.
He said a large portion of gastric pills are being sold without prescriptions. "Dispensaries often suggest and sell gastric medicines to the patients who actually need no pill for some minor health issues," he added.
BSMMU Pro-VCs Prof Dr AKM Mosharraf Hossain and Prof Dr Mohd Zahid Hussain, and Chairman of Department of Pharmacology Prof Sayedur Rahman, among others, also spoke at the seminar.
UNB adds: Doctors said pharmacy shopkeepers are providing gastric medicines when the patients come with various complications including diarrhoea, constipation, different kinds of stomach pain to gastric issues which can be solved by drinking a little water or using some light medicines.
Besides, in case of treating gastric issues, intake of medicines may cause malnutrition, dementia, cancer and many other health complications, they added.
At the same time, the experts demanded that policy needs be formed to reduce the use of excessive gastric medicines.
They said if it were possible to supervise trading of medicines, it would be possible to control the use of these excessive gastric medicines.
"Many of us consume a steroid from time to time which is also alarming for our body," said one of the doctors.
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