Legal, yet no doubt lethal

CHENNAI: The most abused medicine is the cough syrup, which provides the same sensation as a reasonable amount of alcohol does. "Usually, teenagers and college students buy bottles of cough syrup and have fun with them in their hostels without understanding that when consumed in bulk, it can be extremely dangerous," says Dr Manoj Beno, Medical Director, Billroth Hospital. Apart from cough syrup, there are other medicines that most of us readily have in our medicine boxes at home, and do not hesitate to pop on a regular basis to relieve ourselves from everyday stress or a headache, that can become toxic and possibly even lead to death when consumed over a prescribed limit.Given are a few drugs, that can prove to be fatal if taken for a specific period of time in large quantities: Anxiolytics AnalgesicsAntibiotics Anti-hypertensivesAntidiabeticsCough syrup – More than prescribed limit; Overdose of sleeping pills – 0.5% of the total deaths in India in 2009, according to NCRB statistics.“People often take tablets as a precautionary measure even when there is no need for them,” explains Dr Manoj. A pharmacist from a popular medical store in the city says, “Most old women take pain killers in large numbers for arthritis without understanding the consequences.”