Common GI complaints that can generally be managed with nonprescription treatments and self-care include belching, heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, sour stomach, and nausea. Patients also seek quick relief from other common and bothersome intestinal and bowel symptoms and conditions such as bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, and constipation. Constipation leads to at least 2.5 million physician visits per year in the United States, with older adults (>65 years) 5 times more likely to experience constipation than younger adults.
Gastrointestinal
Diarrhea relief
Imodium..................................... 1
Fiber supplement
Metamucil................................... 1
Benefiber.................................... 2
Gas relief
Gas-X......................................... 1
Heartburn relief
Tums......................................... 1
Pepcid........................................ 2
Hemorrhoid relief
Preparation H............................... 1
Laxative
Dulcolax..................................... 1
MiraLAX..................................... 2
Nausea treatment/Relief
Dramamine-N............................... 1
Emetrol...................................... 1
Pepto Bismol................................ 2
Stool softener
Colace........................................ 1
Dulcolax..................................... 2
Upset stomach relief
Pepto Bismol................................ 1
Tums......................................... 2
Self-care survey redux
This section of Pharmacy Today’s Self-Care Product Survey is reprinted from the full survey results published in the August 2023 issue of the magazine and available online at pharmacytoday.org.
The current survey was conducted by BrandSpark/Newsweek International using a scientifically valid methodology, and lists those nonprescription products most often recommended by pharmacists in the United States to consumers.
The winners were selected based on a survey of 1,716 pharmacists practicing in the United States who gave their unaided write-in opinions on which brands they’d recommend to patients in 86 categories. The highest share of citations as most trusted in the category determined the winner. If the margin of citation share between the leading brands did not exceed the estimate of sampling error at 90% statistical confidence, then a tie was declared.
Please also see APhA’s Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs, the definitive source of professional information about OTC products. The Handbook is available online at PharmacyLibrary.com.
These data may not be used without the prior permission of the APhA.