Table of contents:
- Symptoms of a paracetamol overdose
- Causes of paracetamol overdose
- In children
- In adults
- Effects of paracetamol overdose on the body
Paracetamol or what has another name acetaminophen is a fever-reducing drug and mild to moderate pain reliever. This drug is usually sold freely in the market. However, there are also paracetamol that require a doctor's prescription. More than 600 drugs contain paracetamol including for babies, children, and adults. If consumed in excess, it is not impossible that you will experience an overdose of paracetamol.
Symptoms of a paracetamol overdose
When you have an overdose of paracetamol, you will experience various symptoms such as:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Gag
- Not feeling well
- Stomach ache especially on the right upper side
Most of the cases of paracetamol overdose are manageable. Usually, if you experience symptoms of an overdose then you will need to be hospitalized. To check the paracetamol level in the body the doctor will perform a blood test. Other blood tests will also be done to check the liver.
Causes of paracetamol overdose
Here are various reasons why someone can experience an overdose of paracetamol.
In children
Children overdose on paracetamol from taking too many of them at one time. In addition, this can also be caused when a child consumes more than one medicinal product containing paracetamol. Another factor that is also very common is the wrong measure of paracetamol.
Usually, liquid paracetamol is given a package with a measuring spoon to avoid wrong dosage. However, many parents do not use the built-in measuring spoons and prefer to use the spoons available at home.
As a result, the dose can be too much. Sometimes, because the taste and color are like syrup, children also drink it without the parents knowing. Thus, the risk of overdose is inevitable.
In adults
In adults, excess paracetamol is caused by:
- Taking the next dose too quickly without giving enough delay.
- Take several medicines that contain paracetamol at the same time.
- Taking paracetamol with a dose that is too high.
Sometimes, you may not realize that you are taking a medication that turns out to have paracetamol in it, so an overdose may occur. For example, when you have a cough or cold, you take a medicine that may have paracetamol in it, then you also take a headache medicine that also contains the same substance.
Well, if you consume both on the same day and without realizing it exceeds the daily maximum limit, then you can develop symptoms of an overdose. Therefore, do not carelessly take over the counter drugs if you are currently being treated for other diseases.
Effects of paracetamol overdose on the body
According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), consuming too much paracetamol can damage the liver (liver). In severe cases, paracetamol overdose can lead to liver failure and death. In addition, you are also more at risk of developing liver damage if you already have liver disease, drink excess alcohol, and are taking warfarin or blood thinners.
The maximum daily dose recommended by the FDA is around 4,000 mg per day for adults. However, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the company that makes Tylenol paracetamol, recommends 3,000 mg alone as the daily maximum and this is approved by most doctors.
Paracetamol is safe if used as directed. However, because it is a common ingredient in many medicines, you run the risk of consuming too much of it without knowing it.
For that, be sure to always read the drug label before taking it, if you find this ingredient in several different drugs that you are taking today then stop taking it. Consult your doctor if the various drugs you have all contain paracetamol.
