Over the counter medications should be used only by those with infrequent or seasonal and mild asthma attacks. They are not suitable for those patients who have ongoing problems and encounter asthma symptoms every now and then. In this case over the counter medications may actually result in more harm than good.

Over the counter basically do not require any prescription however the pharmacist may ask some questions before you buy them thus resulting in well documented abuse of the over the medications. These medications are not suitable for the respiratory problems. Side effects from OTC medication include nervousness, anxiety, nausea, rapid heart beat and sleeplessness.

Epinephrine, a type of over the counter medications increases heart rate and blood pressure. The patient also becomes a little jittery. Also many people feel that ephedrine, an OTC tablet have many side effects since this medication travels through the blood stream.

Because of immediate relief with OTC medications, patients generally make a delay in taking a proper treatment from doctor thus causing gradual worsening of the symptoms.Keeping in mind the short term relief of Over the Counter medications and certain side effects associated with it, patients should take a doctor’s prescription when using OTC medications because of the potential life threatening symptoms associated with this deadly condition