Paracetamol Overuse: Study Warns Of Alarming Health Risk For Elderly (image/pixabay)
A recent study has revealed an alarming discovery over the use of paracetamol, a widely used and very common medicine in India. The study found that the use of the frequent drug in elderly people, especially those above 65, could cause the risk of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal complications.
The study by experts at the University of Nottingham was released through an official announcement, and the findings have been published in the journal Arthritis Care and Research.
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Professor Weiya Zhang, one of the leading experts and authors of the study at the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, said that 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.
However, the study found that prolonged paracetamol use was associated with an increased risk of peptic ulcers, heart failure, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.
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The study reportedly examined data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink-Gold, focusing on participants aged 65 and older, with an average age of 75, revealing the repeated use of the widely used medicine’s side effect on the elderly. Notably, a report by Times Of India also cited the study, noting that the side effect of repeated use of paracetamol in the aged can also impact liver function.
High doses and prolonged use can lead to liver toxicity, even leading to liver failure, especially in those aged due to their already complicated liver functioning.
