The non-therapeutic use of medicines and its increase is a global and societal problem. It affects not only the health sector, but it also has significant human, social and economic consequences. The development of dosage forms (DFs) to reduce or prevent the abuse of medicines is one step in a comprehensive solution to this problem. The last decade has brought the development of more robust DFs capable of reducing drug abuse. Technologies and strategies to prevent drug abuse typically target common or expected application routes. Technology can limit the extractability of the active ingredient and the bioavailability after DF manipulation, prevent drug distribution in the body after using an alternative administration route, reduce the effect of the substance after manipulation, or make the effect less pleasant. The technological approach often focuses on formulations that are physically and chemically resistant, often also capable of modifying the drug's pharmacokinetics after adverse manipulation. Other options, such as drug antagonists, prodrugs, aversive agents, and innovative excipients, are also gaining attention.

A pharmacy is a medical facility to which patients come even before the doctor's visit, either with mild acute or chronic cough-related problems. The pharmacist's role in self-medication counseling is crucial, because without proper evaluation of the patient's condition, it is difficult to choose the right treatment and regimen measures. There is currently a wide variety of over-the-counter medicinal products available on the market and the pharmacist and pharmaceutical assistant should be aware of their indications, contraindications, dosage regiment and potential risks. The aim of the article is to present the possibilities of evaluating the patient's condition and to create an up-to-date overview of over-the-counter medicinal products, their dosage forms and dosage schemes, which can be chosen in the pharmacy for the symptomatic treatment of dry and productive cough.

In every month, many women around the world experience pain and discomfort in their lower abdomens. These symptoms occur in varying degrees in women and adolescent girls and may even prevent some of the patients from performing their normal daily activities. At the pharmacy, it is of great importance for us to hear from our patients and offer them an adequate therapy. It primarily consists of non-pharmacological procedures, which should be accompanied by pharmacological recommendations. There are many over-the-counter medications, which have the menstrual pain/dysmenorrhea mentioned in the indications. We can choose between medicines containing paracetamol or NSAIDs. Considering the estimated therapy duration of around 1-3 days, undesirable side effects or drug interactions are rather not expected among women and adolescent girls. However, it is imperative to respect the individual approach and, using targeted questions, select the right pharmacotherapy and possibly even recommend a visit to a gynecologist.

Addressing respiratory infections is a common reason to visit a pharmacy. Although the cause of problems can be diverse in terms of inducing agents, many of them can be addressed through self-medication. In 2020, COVID-19, which is caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is a very current topic. Symptomatic treatment is indicated as monotherapy for respiratory infections of primarily viral etiology, otherwise it is administered as an adjunct to causal treatment. We currently have a range of over-the-counter drugs from various pharmacotherapeutic groups. In addition to drugs, phytopharmaceuticals can also be used. An essential part of the treatment is bed rest, plenty of fluids and a light diet supplemented with vitamins.

Chronic pain is a chronic disease that significantly impairs the patient's quality of life. Pharmacotherapy is based on international recommendations (IASP, EFNS) adapted by the Society for the Study of Pain Management (SSLB) for our conditions. The correct pain treatment must be complex. It should combine application of pharmaceuticals, intervention techniques, psychotherapy, rehabilitation, and cooperation with other specialists as well. The article deals with pharmacotherapy. Treatment by drugs includes WHO analgesics (1st grade non-opioid analgesics, NSAIDs, 2nd grade weak opioids, 3rd grade strong opioids), co-analgesics, antidepressants, antiepileptics, and other adjuvant therapies. The main part deals with analgesics, interactions, and side effects are also mentioned. In conclusion, the principle of choosing the complex pharmacotherapy is briefly described. Pharmacotherapy for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is also discussed.

Skin integrity damage caused by mechanical, thermal, or biological factors leads to increased pain associated with a reduction in the patient's quality of life. Medical devices such as different types of special plasters have an irreplaceable place in the therapy of these minor skin problems. The aim of this publication is to acquaint the reader with the basic characteristics and examples of commercially available plasters used in the treatment of blisters, calluses, corns, warts, cold sores, burns and scars. The submitted publication brings also practical advice regarding the correct handling of these medical aids, which lead to maximizing their effect in the treatment of selected skin problems.

Acute diarrhoea is defined as a change in stool consistency from soft to liquid and/or an increase in the number of defecations to more than three per day. Other symptoms of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) include fever, nausea and vomiting. Viruses are the most common cause of AGE, with rotavirus being the most frequent causative agent, affecting mostly infants and toddlers aged 6-24 months during the autumn/winter period. The most important part of the diagnostic and therapeutic approach is the assessment of the degree of dehydration, which decides on the severity of AGE and serves as one of the factors determining hospitalization. The standard first-line treatment approach involves oral rehydration with hypoosmolar fluids. Other effective treatments include the administration of probiotics (Lactobacillus GG, Saccharomyces boulardii), racecadotril, diosmectin and perhaps ondansetron to reduce the intensity of nausea and vomiting. Antibiotic therapy should only be considered in specific clinical scenarios. Chronic diarrhoea may be caused by a range of disorders, from intolerance to a particular food (or food containing e.g. lactose) to a symptom of a multisystem disease. This overview aims to outline the current treatment options for diarrhoea in the paediatric population.

Breastfeeding is the natural way of feeding the youngest babies. The World Health Organization and the Czech Paediatric Society recommend exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age and, together with the gradual introduction of complementary feeding, to continue breastfeeding until at least 2 years of age. In addition to its nutritional importance, breastfeeding brings many other benefits for both the baby and the mother. Although it should be an obvious process, many women have problems with breastfeeding, which sometimes leads to a complete switch to formula milk. Given their wide range of activities, pharmacists should be able to provide expert advice on breastfeeding issues. Advice should be based on up-to-date recommendations and modern practices, as there are still some myths around breastfeeding even among health professionals. In the pharmacy, it is important to catch breastfeeding mothers not only in terms of the appropriateness of the drugs used (especially in self-medication), but also in practical matters. Those include, for example, the knowledge of general rules for successful breastfeeding, procedures to increase milk production (including the use of herbs and food supplements), appropriate techniques for breastfeeding, breast milk pumping and storage, injured nipples treatment or the breastfeeding mother´s diet, as well as information where else a woman can turn for professional help reflecting modern recommendations.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation among with infrared (IR) radiation and the visible region of the spectrum (VIS) are part of the electromagnetic radiation reaching the Earth's surface. In addition to positive effects (e.g., synthesis of vitamin D), UV radiation also has an adverse impact on the human body, such as cancerous proliferation. During evolution, human skin has developed various protecting mechanisms against UV (e.g., melanin pigment), but their capacity is limited (especially during intensive exposure to the sun). Therefore, this article aims to present, characterize, and classify (cosmetic) products that actively prevent the effects of UV radiation on human skin. This article also describes the necessary steps and basic principles for the proper application of these products.

Wound healing represents a key process in maintaining the stability of the internal environment of the human organism. It is generally known that this process consists of several stages, which should be actively supported by a properly selected wound dressing. However, devices intended for traditional wound healing (dressings made of gauze and non-woven fabric) are not able to maintain a suitable microenvironment in the wound. For this reason, these devices are often replaced by modern dressings intended for moist wound healing. Thus, the aim of this article is to introduce three subgroups of modern dressings for moist healing, namely hydrogels, hydrocolloids and hydrofibres. This publication includes the basic characteristics of the given subgroup and an overview of selected commercially available products representing the described medical devices.

Pharmacological treatment is the basis for conservative treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Currently, pharmacological treatment is based on α1-blockers, 5α-reductase inhibitors, muscarinic receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, beta-3 adrenoceptor agonists and a combination of some of them. In indicated cases, phytopharmaceuticals, most commonly containing Serenoa repens, may be used in patients with minor LUTS.

Hair and scalp care are among the daily hygiene rituals. There is a wide range of hair products on the Czech market designed for washing or adjustment of hair appearance. This article aims to introduce the basic categories of functional products for hair and scalp, in particular shampoos, conditioners, and hair tonics. The range of presented cosmetics is extended by medicinal preparations and medical devices utilized in the hair and scalp treatment. The review also provides practical advice for pharmacists and pharmaceutical assistants about hair products usage, as proper education of the patient/client by expending person increases the effectiveness of applied products.

Each one of us has a lot of experience with pain management and painkillers, both professional and personal. The goal of this article is therefore to only point out what the specifics, advantages, risks and interactions of the representatives of individual groups are. It is not possible to encompass a complete summary of those - some of them are even not registered in the Czech Republic (flupirtine, nefopam) for pain management. In our country, methadon is a newly approved drug for the treatment of severe pain which cannot be influenced by non-narcotic painkillers. Co-analgetics are mentioned only peripherally, despite the fact that they are an inseparable part of neuropatic and chronic pain treatment. A more detailed discussion of their effect would probably make for a new article. Therapy depends on the type and nature of pain; we choose a different one with chronic, acute, neuropathic or oncologic pain. Chronic pain is more frequent in women and increases rapidly with ages 65 and more.

Anastrozole is a highly selective nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor. It is approved for the treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Nonetheless, aromatase inhibitors have also been used off-label for many years in men. This article outlines empirical non-oncological anastrozole uses in men and briefly presents some current clinical trials involving the male population.

The introduction section deals with the general principles of pharmacotherapy and possible ways of treatment optimization. Furthermore, the paper summarizes the latest developments in treating schizophrenic and depressive disorders, the major examples of serious psychiatric disorders, and presents new approaches that are already available (novel second-generation antipsychotics, augmentation). In the final section, agents with a mechanism of action other than the commonly used antipsychotic drugs and antidepressants are mentioned.

Acute upper respiratory tract infections are the most common infectious diseases in children and adults. It includes the common cold, rhinosinusitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, tonsillopharyngitis, laryngitis, and epiglottitis. Middle ear infections are also directly related to upper respiratory tract infections. Most of these infections are uncomplicated and will disappear on their own within a week, the cough after the virosis can persist for several weeks. Due to the fact that most acute upper respiratory tract infections are of viral origin, their treatment with antibiotics is neither appropriate nor necessary.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 65 in developed countries. In most patients, a dry form of AMD is noted, which gradually progresses. Choroidal neovascular membrane is the main sign of wet form of AMD which is present in 10 % of patients approximately. AMD develops because of an interaction between genetic and lifestyle factors of patients. The treatment of the choice of the wet form of AMD is intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections, in the case of the dry form of AMD we can choose dietary supplements with lutein and haemorheopheresis. Treatment of the dry form of AMD with intravitreal administration of complement inhibitors is currently under investigation. An essential prerequisite for successful treatment is early diagnosis and especially early initiation of the treatment.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory and destructive disease of the periodontium - the supporting apparatus of the tooth that holds the tooth in place. Typical symptoms of periodontitis are recession of gingiva, bleeding and bad breath. In the advanced stage, the teeth wobble as a result of the broken ligament, which in the final stage can lead to the loss of teeth. The treatment is long-term and is aimed at slowing down the destruction of the periodontium and mitigating the consequences of the disease. Correct dental hygiene plays the most important role in the prevention and treatment of already established periodontitis.

Subthreshold anxiety is among the most common mental disorders, with a two-fold higher prevalence than clinically manifested anxiety disorders. Psychological symptoms include obsessive thoughts, insomnia, restlessness, tension, irritability, and difficulty concentrating, and somatic symptoms also tend to be present. Subsyndromal anxiety should not be underestimated since it can lead to suicide; as a result, these patients require attention and timely initiation of treatment.

Diarrhoeal disease is one of the most commonly occurring infectious diseases in the Czech Republic. The primary the­rapeutic goal in diarrhoea is to eliminate the causative agents, such as toxins, prevent dehydration, and protect intestinal mucosa from injury. Only when an infectious origin of diarrhoea has been confirmed, specific treatment - chemotherapeutic drugs and antibiotics - is initiated. The following overview of medicinal products and medical devices used is presented in the order that should correspond to the course of treatment in the case of acute diarrhoea of unknown origin.

Pain is distressing sensory, emotional and mental experience accompanied by psychological or autonomic symptoms and change of behavior. It is therefore necessary to effectively treat pain using nonpharmacological and pharmacological methods. Pediatric pharmacotherapy has many peculiarities, in the following article we summarize pharmacological treatment options in children, currently used nonopioid and opioid analgesics, their characteristics and the dosage of selected orally used analgesics.

The article summarizes some of the side effects of antipsychotics that are not common in everyday clinical practice, although the patients were treated by commonly used antipsychotics. The information from literature is supplemented by cases of the patients treated by us. We focused on thromboses and anticholinergic deliria, but some other side effects are mentioned as well. The causes, circumstances of initiation and clinical management of these side effects are disscused.

Spasticity is one of the serious clinical manifestations of damage to the central motoneuron, which occurs during ischemia, hemorrhage, trauma, inflammation, tumor or as part of neurodegenerative disorders. There are two types of spasticity - cerebral and spinal. In cerebral lesions, there is a loss of the influence of the cerebral cortex on trunk inhibitory structures, while in spinal lesions, spastic dystonia of a severe degree is present and flexor involvement predominates. A careful clinical examination of each patient is important to assess the type and degree of spasticity. A number of scales and questionnaire methods are used for this. Ashworth scale of muscle hypertonia and its modifications are most often used. The goal of spasticity treatment is to improve the function of spastic limbs, enable better independence, reduction of complications, decrease of accompanying pain, and improvement quality of life. The treatment of spasticity consists of rehabilitation, pharmacological or can be solved surgically. Individual treatment procedures are chosen according to the degree and intensity of spasticity, but it also depends on the activities and goals of the specific patient. Treatment of spasticity in most cases begins with a combination of rehabilitation and pharmacological treatment. The most often used drugs are baclofen and tizanidine, or cannabinoids. Focal spasticity can be treated by administration of botulinum toxin into spastic muscle groups. In severe diffuse spasticity, the intrathecal administration of baclofen by continuous pump systems has a very good effect. In some cases, a surgical approach to spasticity treatment (myelotomy, DREZotomy) can also be chosen. The treatment of spasticity is a long-term process and requires multidisciplinary approach.

By doping, we usually mean the use of prohibited substances by an athlete for performance enhancement. Officially, it is a violation of the anti-doping rules specified in the World Anti-Doping Code. The article presents a brief overview of human medicines available in the Czech Republic that contain substances from the List of Prohibited Substances and Methods of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Examples of doping affairs of professional athletes are presented.

Originally an Asian genus Bergenia from the family Saxifragaceae includes 32 species described so far and many hybrids that were created by crossing them. The leaves and rhizomes of bergenia used widely in folk medicine of China, India, Mongolia, and Russia are rich in a wide range of chemical constituents. The most important secondary metabolites of this plant are tannins, arbutin, bergenin, but also flavonoids. The drug from leaves and rhizomes is valued for its litholytic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, or antitussive properties.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) plays a key role in the pathophysiology of migraine. Eptinezumab is the first intravenous monoclonal antibody targeting the molecule of CGRP which is used for the preventive treatment of migraine. In this paper the pharmacology of eptinezumab and five successful Phase III clinical studies are reviewed. The study PROMISE-1 evaluates the efficacy, safety and tolerability of eptinezumab in the preventive treatment of episodic migraine, the study PROMISE-2 is the same in chronic migraine. The study PREVAIL evaluates the long-term safety, immunogenicity and patient-reported efficacy with help of standard questionnaires in the period of two years. The study RELIEF evaluates the efficacy of eptinezumab when administered during migraine attack. Finally, the study DELIVER evaluates the efficacy and safety of eptinezumab in the preventive treatment of migraine in patients with two-to-four previous preventive treatment failures. The results of these studies show that eptinezumab is effective and well-tolerated for the preventive treatment of migraine. At the end some practical comments to the treatment with eptinezumab in clinical practice are mentioned.

daridorexant is a dual orexin type 1 and types 2 (OX1 and OX2) receptor antagonist that was recently approved by the US FDA for the treatment of adults suffering from insomnia. It was shown to be effective in reducing insomnia symptoms, increasing daytime functioning, and improving the overall quality of sleep. Daridorexant offers patients relief from insomnia while avoiding the severe side effects and dependency issues of traditional treatments like benzodiazepines and sedatives. Increased caution and dose reduction is appropriate in patients taking moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors. Daridorexant is contraindicated in patients taking strong CYP3A4 inhibitors.