If there was one medication that we’ve commonly heard of while growing up, it’s certainly Paracetamol and Acetaminophen. From flu and fever to pain of any kind - it’s the drug that most doctors prescribe. This would make you think that it’s the safest, right? Well, a new study is proving otherwise.
Led by authors at the University of Nottingham, repeat doses of the medication in those above the 65-year age group can give rise to a high risk of complications. This includes those related to the kidney, heart, and even gastrointestinal tract.
The latest study therefore alarms older users to exercise care and precaution, especially when using it to treat long-term painful medical conditions like osteoarthritis. This is why the professor who led the study, Prof Weiya Zhang, is now speaking about the complications in older people in detail. He’s shunning all the myths about paracetamol being the drug with the best safety profile.
Remember, as we age, you are more likely to suffer from drug-based complications, he continued. In this study, participants enrolled were all 65 and above. The average age was 75 years. They were registered with a British practice for a year between 1998 and 2018.
Health records linked to 180,000 who got paracetamol prescribed to them on repeat occasions were studied. After that, the outcome of their health condition was compared to another 402,000 individuals. These are the ones who never got paracetamol as repeat prescriptions.
As per the study’s results, using the medication for a long time was linked to a rise in peptic disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, and even serious kidney issues. Also, the authors highlighted in their findings that more research on this topic must be conducted. After all, it’s the number one choice for many in terms of painkillers for long-term issues arising from old age.
So the next time someone tells you or an older family member that Panadol is the safest, you might need to interrupt them there and then.
Read next: Fighting The Common Cold: Top Remedies To Boost Your Immune System That Actually Work
Led by authors at the University of Nottingham, repeat doses of the medication in those above the 65-year age group can give rise to a high risk of complications. This includes those related to the kidney, heart, and even gastrointestinal tract.
The latest study therefore alarms older users to exercise care and precaution, especially when using it to treat long-term painful medical conditions like osteoarthritis. This is why the professor who led the study, Prof Weiya Zhang, is now speaking about the complications in older people in detail. He’s shunning all the myths about paracetamol being the drug with the best safety profile.
Remember, as we age, you are more likely to suffer from drug-based complications, he continued. In this study, participants enrolled were all 65 and above. The average age was 75 years. They were registered with a British practice for a year between 1998 and 2018.
Health records linked to 180,000 who got paracetamol prescribed to them on repeat occasions were studied. After that, the outcome of their health condition was compared to another 402,000 individuals. These are the ones who never got paracetamol as repeat prescriptions.
As per the study’s results, using the medication for a long time was linked to a rise in peptic disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, and even serious kidney issues. Also, the authors highlighted in their findings that more research on this topic must be conducted. After all, it’s the number one choice for many in terms of painkillers for long-term issues arising from old age.
So the next time someone tells you or an older family member that Panadol is the safest, you might need to interrupt them there and then.
Read next: Fighting The Common Cold: Top Remedies To Boost Your Immune System That Actually Work
