Knowledge, expectations and self medication in the adult population in the Republic of Macedonia

Self-medication i.e using of medications without doctor's prescription becomes a problem, most of all because the patients are not informed for the possible consequences from the willfully taking of medications, as interactions medicine – medicine and increased risk from the appearance of harmful effects from the medicines taken in doses bigger than usual wherein appears potential abuse of the medicines. Self-medication allows quick access to the medicines because of their permanent and wide availability on the market itself. Using of medicines for self-medication is constantly increasing and one of the most often used medicines for self-medication are the medicines that are used for treating the symptoms of cold, slightly increased temperature, headache and other types of pain, diarrhea and so on. In Republic of Macedonia medicines that are used for self-medication (self-treating) are safe and efficient if they are given in recommended doses and also if are followed the recommendations given from the World Health Organizations. We have made research on a patients from different ages with purpose to determine the most often reasons for using of the self-medication, knowing the possible indications and contraindications, how often they use the medicines for self-medication, and also if the commercials for the medicines for self-medications have influence on the opinion of the patients