Drug Information Q&A Q28. Is it OK to stop taking a medicine when symptoms disappear?
Answer
If you are using a drug prescribed by a hospital, you should not stop taking it on your own, even if your symptoms become less severe. Suddenly stopping the medication may cause a rebound, which means that the symptoms may worsen in response, which can be dangerous.
Explanation
In the case of hypertensive patients, if they stop taking antihypertensive drugs on their own after their blood pressure has decreased and their symptoms have stabilized, their blood pressure will rebound and rise, which may lead to cerebral hemorrhage.
In the case of patients with ulcers (stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, etc.), if they stop taking the drug after the pain subsides, bleeding may occur from the part of the ulcer that has not yet completely healed.
Gastric ulcer is a disease in which the stomach is damaged by stomach acid, which is produced more strongly than the mucus (nen-eki) that protects the stomach. For this reason, drugs that suppress the secretion of stomach acid are used for patients with stomach ulcers. As long as the patient is taking the medication, the ulcer will gradually heal, but if the patient suddenly stops taking the medication, a large amount of stomach acid will be secreted, and the unhealed ulcerated area may bleed.
However, when the medication is stopped, the bacteria that have survived in the area begin to increase again, and the symptoms may become more severe than before.
In addition, if you are using steroidal drugs for allergic skin diseases, your symptoms may worsen if you stop using them just because your symptoms have subsided.
In order to prevent such a rebound phenomenon, the physician may gradually stop the use of the drug by reducing the dose or frequency of use, or by switching to a less effective drug, as the patient's symptoms improve.
Stopping the use of a drug for one's own reasons may hinder treatment and further aggravate the disease.
In order to return to normal health as soon as possible, it is important to follow the instructions given by the doctor and take the medication correctly.
Chart/Column
28｜Rebound Phenomenon (Example of Antihypertensive Drugs)
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