Paracetamol-The Little Things That Matter

If you were asked what the most popular drug is, what would be your answer? It’s no rocket science, ofcourse it’s paracetamol!! There is hardly a home that paracetamol can’t be found, it can be seen in the handbag of ladies, in all medicine cabinets. Paracetamol is a drug that is generally regarded as safe and this encourages the indiscriminate use. There is a saying that what you don’t know doesn’t kill you, on the contrary, what you don’t know can greatly harm you.

Paracetamol belongs to a group of medicines known as analgesics. It is used to relieve mild-to-moderate pain. It is also useful as an antipyretic (fever reducing) agent. This makes the drug very important in the management of pains and fever. Paracetamol is an over-the- counter drug because no prescription is needed for the purchase of the drug. In other words, it is a drug that is readily available and used at will by the vast majority of the populace.

It’s no news that ALL drugs have side effects but the side effects of paracetamol are worthy of mention because this drug serves as a bestfriend to a lot of people. It is also important to know that this post does not refer to the paracetamol that has been prescribed for you(you don’t have to be afraid) but the ones that you buy on your own and take at will.

Paracetamol is metabolised by the liver, producing an intensely active metabolite, which is normally immediately inactivated by glutathione. An overdose causes a glutathione deficiency; the reactive metabolite may then cause serious damage and necrosis to the liver leading to acute liver failure. The toxic effects of the drug is seen in very high doses, however, if there is a pre-existing liver insufficiency, paracetamol can be hepatotoxic even in small amounts.

The hepatotoxic effects of paracetamol gets worse when it is combined with other liver damaging substances like alcohol. Yeah, you heard right! Don’t take paracetamol if you abuse alcohol a lot. Some drugs like carbamazepine and phenytoin have also been shown to interact with paracetamol to increase the liver damaging potential.

What you need to know
Paracetamol is contained in many combination medicines. It is important that you do not take more than one preparation containing paracetamol at a time. Do not use any other over-the-counter cough, cold, allergy, or pain medication without first asking your healthcare provider. If you use certain products while taking paracetamol you may accidentally use too much paracetamol. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains paracetamol or acetaminophen.

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medication. Alcohol may increase your risk of liver damage while taking paracetamol .
Stop using paracetamol and seek medical help if:
•    You still have a fever after 3 days of use
•    You still have pain after 7 days of use (or 5 days if treating a child)
•    You have a skin rash, ongoing headache, or any redness or swelling
•    Your symptoms get worse, or if you have any new symptoms.

If you suspect that you might have taken an overdose of paracetamol, go to the accident and emergency department of a hospital at once, even if you feel well.
Paracetamol is used for the symptomatic relief of pains and fever. This means that there is no need to continue the drug if the pain or fever is gone even though the drug remains. If you miss a dose, do not worry, just take the next dose. Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

The recommended adult dose of paracetamol is: 500 mg-1 g every 4-6 hours up to a maximum of 4 g daily. This means that you should NEVER exceed 2 tablets (of a 500mg) paracetamol 4 times daily