Some side effects also have benefits. | Image source: Getty Images
“W.“Doctor, do these drugs have any side effects?” Most patients ask this question at the end of their consultation. Despite my supportive words to reassure them, my pharmacology memory would list at least a dozen side effects for every drug I prescribed. Most of them are subtle and unnoticeable, while some can be difficult to deal with. Like the pamphlet in a pill box, having to explain all the “possible” side effects of a drug can create a psychological barrier for patients.
Allopathic medicines are basically chemicals that act on chemical receptors at the cellular level and interact with chemical processes in the body to produce the desired results. For example, the commonly used acetaminophen inhibits the production of prostaglandins in the hypothalamus (our body’s temperature control center) to fight fever. However, it can also interrupt prostaglandin production elsewhere in the body, leading to side effects such as gastritis. Most of these side effects are predictable and not bothersome at optimal doses. Sometimes, another drug (such as an antacid) is prescribed to offset common and predictable side effects. However, some side effects can be serious and life-threatening, and monitoring for such “side effects” is required. For example, some painkillers may damage the kidneys and should be used with caution by older adults.
However, this article is about the “positive” side effects of certain medications. Sometimes a drug originally developed for a specific disease is accidentally discovered to have some “beneficial” side effects and is now being prescribed based on its side effects. The drug finasteride was developed to treat urinary symptoms caused by enlarged prostate in older men. For some time now, patients and some astute doctors have noticed some positive scalp hair growth after taking finasteride. This drug encouraged the development of a scalp hair loss solution based on finasteride, which has been highly successful in treating baldness. Currently, it is one of the most popular hair loss solutions in the world.
The most exciting story, however, is that of sildenafil. In the late 1990s, Pfizer was testing this new drug to treat angina. In animal studies, it has shown good efficacy without any side effects. Encouraged by this, the company launched clinical trials in healthy volunteers to study its safety and side effects in humans. While recording the vital parameters of these healthy men, the sharp-minded and astute nurse once again noticed a strange observation: most of the men were lying on their stomachs because they were shy about their unexpectedly violent masculinity. Upon questioning, the middle-aged men revealed that their private organs had been undergoing prolonged and intense activity. Pfizer capitalized on this observation and quickly named sildenafil Viagra for the treatment of impotence, much to the delight of millions around the world. The drug’s side effects turned into successful positive effects, allowing the manufacturer to create one of the most commercially successful drugs in human history.
Side effects of modern medications are unavoidable but not serious. But this is left to the savvy few to observe and profit from. So, next time you take a pill, be careful. Who knows you might become the next billionaire!
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