12 Must-Have OTC Drugs

A first-aid kit is a mandatory attribute of every home. If a tooth gets sick, a finger is cut, the temperature has risen, simple medicines purchased in advance will come in handy. We will figure out what should be in the first aid kit and also mention the rules for making up a first aid kid.

Make a first aid kit: 12 drugs you can buy without a prescription

We offer a universal set of affordable OTC drugs. Household injuries can happen to everyone, so your first aid kit should contain the following drugs:

1. Activated carbon. It is necessary for all kinds of poisonings, allergies, and also if you suffer from flatulence;
2. Aspirin. It is a classic antipyretic;
3. Spazmalgon. This drug relieves pain caused by spasms;
4. Diazolin. A simple but often indispensable remedy for allergies;
5. Claritin. A potent antiallergic drug of the latest generation;
6. Corvalol. A popular sedative;
7. Creon. A digestion-improving pill. It is perfect if you overeat or plan to have a good meal at the festive table;
8. Nimesulide. This drug is a potent and effective anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic. These pills are OTC but you’d better take them after consulting a doctor;
9. Drotaverine. An irreplaceable remedy that has been tested over the years, which helps to overcome cramping (stomach, intestines, etc.), as well as with some types of pain;
10. Paracetamol. It is a classic antipyretic, which is used even in the treatment of children;
11. Loperamide. A very useful remedy, which blocks almost any diarrhea;
12. Ketorolac. A potent painkiller, without which it is impossible to cope with severe toothache.

General recommendations

When collecting a first aid kit, follow these rules:

1. Do not buy many similar drugs. Store one antipyretic or immunomodulatory agent one at a time. You will not take two identical medicines at the same time, and the drugs will expire;
2. Buy potent drugs for your first-aid kit only after consultation and a prescription from a doctor;
3. Use a convenient box or box with partitions for a first-aid kit;
4. Put the drugs in groups (for colds, allergies, etc.);
5. Choose a cool place for the first-aid kit, hide from children and animals. Do not leave the product in direct sunlight or in damp conditions;
6. Store the medicine in its original packaging with instructions. If the name or date of manufacture is erased or cannot be read on the record, sign the drug with a marker;
7. Periodically do an audit: throw out expired funds, replenish stocks;
8. Please note that some preparations must be stored in the refrigerator.

A first-aid kit is not a provocateur of self-medication. Drugs are needed only for primary care, and you must consult a doctor for further therapy.

Here are general guidelines for self-medication use:

• Before use, carefully read all sections of the instructions;
• Do not use expired tablets, potions, ointments;
• Adhere to the dosages indicated in the instructions;
• If you are allergic, study the composition of the preparations for the presence of a contraindicated component, but you’d better collect a first-aid kit with a doctor;
• Drink tablets down with non-carbonated drinking water;
• If the symptoms do not disappear after taking an antipyretic or analgesic drug, consult a doctor.

Remember: if the patient feels very ill, do not rely on a first aid kit, call an ambulance! While waiting for the doctor, alleviate the condition with existing drugs.

Each family has different contents of the first-aid kit based on the age of people, chronic diseases, allergies, individual preferences. We hope that our recommendations will be useful and you will collect a perfect first aid kit!