지역약국 방문 성인 환자의 Acetaminophen 사용 현황 평가

Abstract

Acetaminophen is one of the most commonly used over-the-counter medication in Korea. It is a safe and effective medication for the treatment of mild to moderate pain or fever when used in therapeutic doses. However, acetaminophen overdose is a frequent cause of acute liver failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acetaminophen use for adult patients at community pharmacies in Korea. This study was a 11-questionnaire survey conducted from December 15, 2009 to January 5, 2010. Of the 204 respondents, 117 (57.4%) had used acetaminophen products within 6 months. Only 20 (9.8%) reported having knowledge about the daily maximum doses of acetaminophen, and 3 out of 20 knew it correctly. Only 10 (4.9%) reported having knowledge about the potentialtoxicity of acetaminophen overdose, and 7 out of 10 knew that acetaminophen overdose could cause liver toxicity. The results of this study indicates a need for pharmacists to educate patients regarding the appropriate doses and potential toxicities of acetaminophen.