LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Paracetamol, also referred as acetaminophen, is often used by individuals to treat mild-to-moderate fever and relieve pain.
However, a recent study, conducted by researchers from the University of Nottingham, UK, found that regular use of this over-the-counter medicine might increase the risk of gastrointestinal, heart and kidney-related complications among adults aged 65 and above.
Professor Weiya Zhang, from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in the School of Medicine, said, 'Due to its perceived safety, paracetamol has long been recommended as the first line drug treatment for osteoarthritis by many treatment guidelines, especially in older people who are at higher risk of drug-related complications.'
'Whilst further research is now needed to confirm our findings, given its minimal pain-relief effect, the use of paracetamol as a first line pain killer for long-term conditions such as osteoarthritis in older people needs to be carefully considered.'
The study analyzed data of about 180,000 older adults, who had been prescribed paracetamol frequently, from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink-Gold. Their health outcomes were then compared to around 400,000 older adults who had never been prescribed the same repeatedly.
The researchers noted that paracetamol use increased the risk of peptic ulcer bleeding and lower gastrointestinal bleeding by 24 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively. Moreover, its usage has been linked to a rise in the risk of chronic kidney disease by 19 per cent, heart failure by 9 per cent and hypertension by 7 per cent.
The authors concluded in the journal Arthritis Care and Research, 'Despite its perceived safety, acetaminophen [paracetamol] is associated with several serious complications. Given its minimal analgesic effectiveness, the use of acetaminophen as the first-line oral analgesic for long-term conditions in older people requires careful reconsideration.'
Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2024 AFX News
