Common Primary Care Drugs with Daily Limit

[Bumex, DNP, NP]

I'm looking for a complied list of common primary care drugs with daily limits. Recently I came across a patient in clinic that was taking several OTC medication with Tylenol in them, and I spent a great deal of time with them to help them understand how to space things out and count the dosages. The only problem was that I brought forth questions about all medications OTC and prescription. I know the basics, Tylenol, aspirin, etc. Is there any complied data? Any help would be appreciated.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

There should be, but in my years there has not been one I have seen. Pharmacy/pharmacists are awesome at answering those kinds of questions. So as part of your medication education could be a call to the pharmacist to ask.

And patients need to know that more doesn't equate more relief. It amazes me sometimes the lengths patients will go to as far as taking OTC and Rx's multiple times a day. So you may need to mix it up a bit--a patch, a pill, and breakthrough back up.

And some of the best medication books have the suggested daily limits....but what patients sometimes fail to understand is daily limit means 24 hours, not "while awake". That also sometimes needs to change due to co-morbidities, interactions with other medications, that kind of thing.

Many pharmacists are learned in the herbal world. Usually those who are "compounding" have a huge point if reference. This also is true of OTC meds. They were always my go to.

Best wishes!

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

I had to educate a person about why taking that many ibuprofen's at once is not beneficial the other day.