Paracetamol is the most commonly used medicine in Australia. It's an effective treatment for pain and fever and, at the recommended dose, is generally safe for healthy people. However, repeatedly taking more than the recommended dose or overdosing on paracetamol can cause serious injury to the liver and even death.
Side effects of paracetamol
blood disorders, such as thrombocytopenia (low number of platelet cells) and leukopenia (low number of white blood cells) liver and kidney damage, if you take too much (overdose) – this can be fatal in severe cases.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh studied the impact of paracetamol on liver cells in human and mouse tissue, and tests showed that in certain settings paracetamol can damage the liver by harming vital structural connections between adjacent cells in the organ.
In conclusion, it is important to remember that paracetamol toxicity can present with acute renal impairment in the absence of liver damage, and these patients should be properly treated to prevent them from developing chronic renal failure.
Paracetamol overdose is one of the leading causes of liver failure. Scientists have known for decades that paracetamol in large amounts is toxic the liver, but until now its mechanism of poisoning has eluded them.
Taking 1 or 2 extra tablets is unlikely to harm you. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours. Taking too much paracetamol can be dangerous and you may need treatment.
Long-term use of paracetamol may also cause heart problems. The systematic review of eight observational studies showed that four found a heightened risk, ranging from 19 to 68 percent, of cardiovascular problems. Higher doses of paracetamol was also associated with heart attack and stroke, according to another study.
Long-term paracetamol use could increase the risk of heart disease and strokes in people with high blood pressure, a study suggests.
The recommended paracetamol dosing for adults and children 12 years and over is 500 to 1000mg every four to six hours as necessary, with a maximum of 4000mg in any 24 hour period.
Untreated paracetamol poisoning may cause varying degrees of liver injury over the 2 to 4 days following ingestion, including fulminant hepatic failure. Rarely, massive overdose may initially present with coma and severe metabolic acidosis.
Abuse of paracetamol can cause damage on your liver, while abuse of ibuprofen can cause damage to your stomach or liver. It's safer to take paracetamol if you are pregnant than ibuprofen. (In the case of the latter, you should consult your doctor first, but completely avoid it in your 3rd trimester)
Acute liver failure from paracetamol toxicity has a high mortality rate of 30% if there is no liver transplantation available[89,90].
Acetaminophen is harder on the liver than ibuprofen. The liver is the main organ responsible for breaking down acetaminophen. When taken occasionally, and at recommended doses (no more than 4,000 mg per day), it shouldn't cause any liver damage.
Paracetamol works better as a painkiller if taken regularly every 4-6 hours rather than when taken occasionally or as required. The concentration of the drug slowly builds up in the blood stream and in the body tissues when taken regularly therefore giving more pain relief.
Choosing the Right Pain Relief for You
Panadol products contain paracetamol; do not take them with other medicines that also contain paracetamol. Paracetamol is in many medicines to treat pain, fever, symptoms of cold and flu, and sleep medicines.
In general, acetaminophen (the active ingredient contained in Paracetamol) is well-tolerated when administered in therapeutic doses. The most commonly reported adverse reactions have included nausea, vomiting, constipation. Injection site pain and injection site reaction have been reported with the IV product.
Liver failure can happen if you take too much paracetamol and don't get help. This can lead to death. Symptoms of paracetamol overdose are: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting.
There were similar increases in risk in people without high blood pressure. At one year the risk of heart attack, stroke or heart failure was 4.4 per cent and the risk of dying was 7.3 per cent for those taking sodium-containing paracetamol.
Acetaminophen is generally considered safer than other pain relievers. It doesn't cause side effects such as stomach pain and bleeding.
Paracetamol is known to cause liver failure in overdose, but it also causes liver failure in people taking standard doses for pain relief. The risk is only about one in a million, but it is a risk.
Do not use for more than a few days at a time unless your doctor tells you to. Do not take more than the recommended dose unless your doctor tells you to. Do not use PANADOL OSTEO to treat any other complaints unless your pharmacist or doctor tells you to.
Does paracetamol make you sleepy? Yes. One of the most frequent side effects of paracetamol is exhaustion and fatigue, which causes one to fall asleep more frequently. The acetaminophen or the antihistamine content in the product can provide aid for sleep during nighttime specifically.
It's safe to take paracetamol regularly for many years as long as you do not take more than the recommended dose.
But from what has been scientifically established so far, paracetamol is believed to metabolize by mean of obstructing the COX enzymes that are in the human brain as well as that of the spinal cord. This shouldn't take more than 5 hours.
5. Can I take painkillers on an empty stomach? Ibuprofen, aspirin and other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can irritate the stomach lining, so it is best to take them with food, or a glass of milk. Paracetamol doesn't irritate the stomach lining so it won't matter if you haven't eaten.