JPSIM Journal of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine J Pak Soc Intern Med 2709-8729 2710-0804 Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine 10.70302/jpsim.v7i2.2629 jpsim.v7i2.2629 Original Research Chronic Over-the-Counter (OTC) Gastrointestinal Medications useand Its impact on the Gastrointestinal Tract in Aging Populations Amjad Ibtesam ibtesamamjad46691@import.invalid * Aslam Umbreen Rajpoot Nauman Rafi Mohyuddin Bushra Raza Tabish Hussain Zainab Lahore General Hospital Lahore, Pakistan Services Institute of Medical Sciences/ Services Hospital Lahore, Pakistan Shara Medical College Narowal, Pakistan *Correspondence: Ibtesam Amjad (ibtesamamjad46691@import.invalid) 03 06 2026 2026 7 2 146 149 29 12 2025 13 04 2026 04 05 2026 Copyright © 2026 The Author(s) 2026 The Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Objective

To assess the long-term effects of chronic OTC gastrointestinal medication use on the gastrointestinal tract in aging populations and to evaluate associated risk factors.

 Methodology

This study combines a comparative literature review with a multiple regression analysis. Data were analyzed to determine the association between chronic OTC medication use and adverse outcomes, including nutrient malabsorption, gut microbiota alterations, electrolyte imbalances, and gastrointestinal malignancies. The analysis controlled for potential confounders such as age, comorbidities, and polypharmacy.

 Results

Chronic use of OTC gastrointestinal medications was significantly associated with increased risks of nutrient deficiencies, dysbiosis, and electrolyte disturbances. Additionally, a potential association with increased risk of gastrointestinal malignancies was observed. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that these associations remained significant after adjusting for confounding variables.

 Conclusion

Prolonged use of OTC gastrointestinal medications in older adults is associated with clinically relevant adverse effects. These findings highlight the need for cautious use, regular monitoring, and increased awareness among healthcare providers to minimize potential risks in aging populations.

 Keywords Aging Gastrointestinal Over-the Counter Malabsorption PolyPharmacy Regression Analysis. Ethics Statement

Ethics committee: Ethics Committee, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. Approval number: 401/PGMI/25, dated January 02, 2025.

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