HowToLiveWorse

CHAPTER 34 · 11 SOURCE ENTRIES

Safe Home Medication

家里的常备药别吃出事

[← 回总目录](../README.md) 退烧药、止痛药、感冒药、胃药、止泻药，很多在药店就能自己买。不用处方能买，不等于怎么吃都行。这一节不讲每种病该吃什么药，只挑一个动作就能避开重后果的几件事。 所有条目按死亡率口径算，包括肝衰竭、胃出血、新生儿肾衰竭这类健康终点。收益大多是「少出一次严重事故」，研究给不出「做了能少几成」的数字，收益量级是按后果轻重判断的，每条备注里写了凭什么定。 已经写在别处的，这里只指路。误服了药或清洁剂先做什么，见第 13 节第 20 条（误服）。慢性病的药按医嘱吃满，见第 16 节第 1 条（药按医嘱吃满）。网上买处方药要先过处方审核，见第 28 节第 6 条

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34-001
Evidence BlifespanSource-sensitive

Before taking two cold or pain relievers at the same time, check their ingredient lists — only one of them should contain acetaminophen.

同时吃两种感冒药或止痛药之前，先看成分表，对乙酰氨基酚只能占一种

Acetaminophen is present in many cold medicines. Taking two such products means you’re consuming double the dose, which can damage the liver. In the U.S., nearly 30% of patients suffering from acute liver failure due to acetaminophen never receive a liver transplant in time. Domestic instructions recommend a maximum daily intake of 2 grams, and alcohol should be avoided while taking this drug.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Before taking two cold or pain relievers at the same time, check their ingredient lists — only one of them should contain acetaminophen.” to Future Me's calendar

The routine already works until the day the source says it may not.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-002
Evidence BlifespanSource-sensitive

Do not give children aspirin, nimesulide, or metamizole for fever; cold medicines containing metamizole should also be avoided in minors.

孩子发烧不用阿司匹林、尼美舒利和安乃近，含安乃近的感冒药也不给未成年人吃

For reducing a child’s fever, none of these three drugs should be used. Aspirin is linked to Reye’s syndrome, a condition that damages the brain and liver; in U.S. statistics, around 30% of affected children died, though cases dropped by over 90% after warnings were issued. Nimesulide is prohibited for children under 12, while metamizole is banned for anyone under 18.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Do not give children aspirin, nimesulide, or metamizole for fever; cold medicines containing metamizole should also be avoided in minors.” to Future Me's calendar

There is no immediate alarm, so the sensible choice can wait for a less busy week.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-003
Evidence AlifespanSource-sensitive

People over 60, with a history of stomach bleeding, taking anticoagulants or steroids should consult a doctor before using painkillers like ibuprofen

60 岁以上、胃出过血、在吃抗凝药或激素的人，吃布洛芬这类止痛药之前先问医生

Painkillers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin can harm the stomach. In large-scale trials, individuals taking ibuprofen faced roughly four times the risk of stomach bleeding or perforation compared to those not taking it. This risk is even higher for older adults, those with prior stomach bleeding, individuals on anticoagulants or steroids, and regular drinkers.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “People over 60, with a history of stomach bleeding, taking anticoagulants or steroids should consult a doctor before using painkillers like ibuprofen” to Future Me's calendar

Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-004
Evidence BlifespanSource-sensitive

For children under 2 with colds, don’t give them over-the-counter multi-ingredient cold and cough medicines on your own

2 岁以下的孩子感冒，别自己喂复方感冒药和止咳药

China’s National Medical Products Administration requires 14 types of over-the-counter multi-ingredient cold medicines for children to carry a warning label stating they are not recommended for parents to give to kids under 2 years old, and should only be used under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist. Clinical trials conducted on children show that cough medicines and antihistamines have no better effect than placebo.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “For children under 2 with colds, don’t give them over-the-counter multi-ingredient cold and cough medicines on your own” to Future Me's calendar

If I do not open the notes, no new task has technically appeared.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-005
Evidence BlifespanSource-sensitive

Pregnancy after 20 weeks: avoid taking ibuprofen and similar painkillers on your own

怀孕 20 周以后，别自己吃布洛芬这类止痛药

After 20 weeks of pregnancy, most of the amniotic fluid is produced by the fetus’s kidneys. Taking ibuprofen or similar medications at this stage may harm the fetal kidneys and reduce the amount of amniotic fluid. Some reports received by U.S. authorities describe cases where newborns died after such exposure. Low-dose aspirin prescribed by doctors is not included in this warning.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Pregnancy after 20 weeks: avoid taking ibuprofen and similar painkillers on your own” to Future Me's calendar

One more exception feels free because the bill arrives outside the current scene.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-006
Evidence BlifespanSource-sensitive

Buying omeprazole over the counter for heartburn and acid reflux — use it for no more than 7 days; see a doctor immediately if you have trouble swallowing, vomit blood, or pass black stools

反酸烧心自己买奥美拉唑，最多吃 7 天；吞咽困难、呕血、黑便就直接去医院

Since 2022, omeprazole enteric-coated tablets have been available over the counter without a prescription. However, the package instructions clearly state that you should only take it for up to 7 days, and avoid using it again within two months. If you experience trouble swallowing, pain in the throat, vomit blood, or pass black stools, do not take it on your own — these are potential signs of serious medical conditions. This medication can also mask symptoms of stomach cancer, potentially delaying an accurate diagnosis.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Buying omeprazole over the counter for heartburn and acid reflux — use it for no more than 7 days; see a doctor immediately if you have trouble swallowing, vomit blood, or pass black stools” to Future Me's calendar

I can spend longer deciding whether to start than the small action would take.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-007
Evidence AlifespanSource-sensitive

Don’t ask doctors for antibiotics for the common cold

普通感冒别找医生要抗生素

Taking antibiotics for a cold doesn’t speed up recovery compared to not taking them at all. For adults, the risk of side effects is more than twice as high when using antibiotics. For cases where nasal discharge with pus lasts less than 10 days, there is no clear benefit to taking antibiotics either.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Don’t ask doctors for antibiotics for the common cold” to Future Me's calendar

The routine already works until the day the source says it may not.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-008
Evidence AlifespanSource-sensitive

For diarrhea, start by drinking oral rehydration solution; do not give anti-diarrheal drugs to children under 5

拉肚子先喝口服补液盐补水，5 岁以下的孩子不给止泻药

The most important thing during diarrhea is rehydration, not stopping the diarrhea itself. Mix the solution exactly as directed on the package and drink it — never substitute it with sugary juices or soft drinks, as the excess sugar can actually worsen dehydration. Never give anti-diarrheal medications such as loperamide to kids under 5 years old; in severe cases these drugs can cause life-threatening intestinal blockages.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “For diarrhea, start by drinking oral rehydration solution; do not give anti-diarrheal drugs to children under 5” to Future Me's calendar

There is no immediate alarm, so the sensible choice can wait for a less busy week.

Today I keep a little money, a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-009
Evidence BlifespanSource-sensitive

Don’t take painkillers for more than 15 days a month; limit combination painkillers to 10 days. Otherwise, headaches may actually be caused by the medication itself.

止痛药一个月别吃超过 15 天，复方止痛药别超过 10 天，不然头痛可能就是药吃出来的

If you take painkillers frequently for recurrent headaches, the medication itself may eventually provoke more frequent headaches — a clinical condition known as medication-overuse headache. The clinical threshold is taking standard single-ingredient analgesics (such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin) for 15 or more days per month for at least three consecutive months. For combination analgesics containing multiple active ingredients or caffeine, the threshold drops to 10 or more days per month. Rotating between different painkillers does not reset this counter. Most patients experience substantial symptom relief after systematically tapering excess pain medication under medical guidance.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Don’t take painkillers for more than 15 days a month; limit combination painkillers to 10 days. Otherwise, headaches may actually be caused by the medication itself.” to Future Me's calendar

Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-010
Evidence BlifespanSource-sensitive

Clear out expired and unused medicines regularly; dispose of them with packaging in hazardous-waste bins, not at home

过期药和用不上的剩药定期清出来，连包装投进有害垃圾桶，别留在家里

Nearly half of unsupervised pediatric medication ingestions involve prescription tablets. About three in ten of those prescriptions belong to grandparents. Removing unused drugs removes one thing a child can find. Put discarded medicines in hazardous-waste bins with original packaging, or hand them to pharmacies that collect old drugs.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “Clear out expired and unused medicines regularly; dispose of them with packaging in hazardous-waste bins, not at home” to Future Me's calendar

If I do not open the notes, no new task has technically appeared.

Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off
34-011
Evidence BlifespanSource-sensitive

While taking cephalosporins, metronidazole, and similar antibacterials, and for 7 days after stopping, avoid alcohol — including alcohol in Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid and cough syrups

用头孢、甲硝唑这类抗菌药期间和停药后 7 天内不喝酒，藿香正气水、止咳糖浆这类含酒精的药也不碰

Some cephalosporins and metronidazole can trigger flushing, palpitations, chest tightness, and vomiting when mixed with alcohol; severe cases drop blood pressure. Beer and spirits are not the only triggers — Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid and cough syrups with alcohol count. Avoid alcohol from the start of the drug through 7 days after the last dose.

Open the low-ROI detour

Move “While taking cephalosporins, metronidazole, and similar antibacterials, and for 7 days after stopping, avoid alcohol — including alcohol in Huoxiang Zhengqi oral liquid and cough syrups” to Future Me's calendar

One more exception feels free because the bill arrives outside the current scene.

Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.

Read the source and trade-off

Source snapshot: a994b6a0c90598b0fe15cb837343f438dbf7b95d. Every original stays available in Chinese alongside the English edition.