Paracetamol: a friend or a villain?

In general, when people think of paracetamol they think of a “friendly” medication that can be used without any possible problems and it is beyond doubt a very useful medication. As a matter of fact, almost everyone carries some ... just in case. Funnily enough, it is a general belief that it is good for everything and harmless. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Whilst generally safe for using at recommended dosages, even small overdoses can be fatal and people can die as a result of taking even a small dose of paracetamol. Even so, compared to other over-the-counter pain relief medication it may be less toxic when used chronically at recommended doses, but it is significantly more toxic in overdose.

Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is a widely used over-the-counter pain reliever (analgesic) and fever reducer (antipyretic). It is a mild analgesic, commonly used for the relief of headaches and other minor aches and pains. But it is also a major ingredient in numerous cold and flu remedies and when combined with stronger analgesics like the opioid ones, it can also be used in the management of more severe pain such as post-surgical pain and in advanced cancer patients for palliative care as well.

Many people use paracetamol for inflammatory pain, although it only has a weak anti-inflammatory activity. People feel it works, as a result of the analgesic effect, but it is not treating the inflammation that is the base of the problem very efficiently. While it has analgesic and antipyretic properties comparable to those of aspirin, the anti-inflammatory activity is limited as it has no direct effect at the site of inflammation, but instead acts in the central nervous system. After oral administration, it is rapidly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract.

Liver damage
Acute paracetamol overdose can cause potentially fatal liver damage. Things get much worse when combined with alcoholic drinks, and in chronic alcoholics or patients with liver damage.

Paracetamol is metabolised primarily in the liver into toxic and non-toxic products. Some final products are inactive, non-toxic, and eventually excreted by the kidneys. However, there is an intermediate product that is toxic and is considered to be responsible for liver problems, like acute liver failure, a killer clinical condition. It is even more dangerous for some people who have ongoing liver problems and for those born with sensitivity to paracetamol where it can progressively damage the liver function. Small children seem to tolerate the toxicity of high dosages better than older ones and adults. When used in adequate dosage it can be used safely for pregnant and breast-feeding women. World demand for paracetamol was estimated at over 35,000 tonnes per year.

For fever
The efficacy of paracetamol by itself in children with fever has been questioned and showed to be less effective than ibuprofen.

For pain
Paracetamol has analgesic properties comparable to those of aspirin, while its anti-inflammatory effects are weaker. It is better tolerated than aspirin in patients in whom there is excessive stomach acid secretion or prolongation of bleeding time. In some cases, the standard over-the-counter dose of ibuprofen gives greater pain relief than the standard dose of paracetamol.

Adverse effects
In recommended doses and for a limited course of treatment, the adverse side effects of paracetamol are mild to non-existent. Paracetamol toxicity is the foremost cause of acute liver failure in the Western World. Compared to ibuprofen whose side effects may include diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain, it has fewer adverse gastrointestinal effects. It was not until 1887 that a clinical pharmacologist tried paracetamol on patients. Paracetamol was first marketed in the United States in 1950 and went on sale in the United Kingdom in 1956 under the trade name Panadol. Panadol was originally available only by prescription, for the relief of pain and fever, and was advertised as being “gentle to the stomach”, since other analgesic agents of the time contained aspirin, a known stomach irritant. In terms of quantity, according to the Portuguese National Pharmacy Institute, paracetamol is the most sold medicine, but nothing is perfect and the problem starts when taken in excess. We all know that there are no medicines that are totally innocent and, like in everything else, too much can never be good. It is our own responsibility if paracetamol turns … from a friend into a villain!


Best health wishes, Dr. Maria Alice || features@algarveresident.com Dr Maria Alice is a consultant in General and Family Medicine. General Manager/Medical Director – Luzdoc International Medical Service / Medilagos. Medical Director – Grupo Hospital Particular do Algarve

http://portugalresident.com/paracetamol-a-friend-or-a-villain

There's no drug without side defects. I'd pick paracetamol over ibuprofen anyday

Very Educative. Thank God I don't even like drugs.

Interesting

Great but aint a fan of drug.
#TeamAgbo

A friend now ...am nt sure paractemol av al those side effect you listed ...cus many people wud die daily ...cus d drug z sold in almost al shops world wide ...ur analysis didnt sell ..cus i aint buying... since av bin usin d drug av nt had any problem dat d doctor nw tel me dat z becus of paracetamol usage ..instead it help me cure pains n headache ..cum to tink of it where did u get ur fact 4rm are u a doctor??

c

Depending on the way it's used

dhtml18:
c

Caution

Yinmu, dat does nt stopp me frm using it wen nxt i feel headache

hmmm

Villain, if excessively taken or overdosed!!!!

ko

Too much of everything is bad.
If taken excessively, it'll be just as bad as anything taken in excess.

Not my friend .... Infact i had neva Been ill ... So not my friend at all








Op... is it ur friend?

Virtually all drugs are villain as there is no drug without it's peculiar side effect .
However, self medication should be avoided to prevent adverse drugs interaction and contraindication

Naptu2, I sight you

Smh... na article be this sha? Btw I hate med

Excessive intake of anything is a villain

Wahala

No wonder while growing up as a kid, whenever I take paracetamol I always throw up..

[size=19pt]Bro nor vex.. am new to tramadol like how many pills am I suppose to take.... And with What should I take it wit.



MAN MUST FFUCK TOTO TODAY[/size]

Just as some has commented here,overdose of it might me deleterious to health.And remember this:all drugs are necessary poison.

Christane:
A friend now ...am nt sure paractemol av al those side effect you listed ...cus many people wud die daily ...cus d drug z sold in almost al shops world wide ...ur analysis didnt sell ..cus i aint buying... since av bin usin d drug av nt heard any problem dat d doctor nw tel me dat z becus of paracetamol usage ..instead it help me cure pains n headache ..cum to tink of it where did u get ur fact 4rm are u a doctor??

oga read now at the end you will know that it is a doctor who wrote this.
the credential is at the end of the write up

dominique:
There's no drug side defects. I'd pick paracetamol over ibuprofen anyday

Same here!

Para-ra bye bye.

I saw it ..bt i knw it z a lie cus d persn dat wrote it must be a fake doctor or do u blv in z analysis?

hehehehe Daddy must hear this... He made paracetamol a member of our family. Its never scarce