Paracetamol, a common over-the-counter drug, may increase the risk of gastrointestinal, heart and kidney complications in adults aged 65 and over, a new study has found.
Commonly taken to treat mild to moderate fever, paracetamol is also the first drug recommended for the treatment of osteoarthritis – a chronic condition that causes pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints – as it is considered effective, relatively safe. and accessible.
However, some studies have provided competing evidence for the effectiveness of paracetamol in relieving pain, while others have shown that it increases. Risks Gastrointestinal side effects, such as ulcers and bleeding, from prolonged use.
A recent study by researchers at the University of Nottingham in the UK found that paracetamol use increased the risk of peptic ulcer bleeding (bleeding due to an ulcer in the digestive tract) and lower gastrointestinal by 24 percent and 36 percent, respectively. Bleeding, respectively.
Taking this drug can increase the risk of kidney disease by 19 percent, heart problems by 9 percent, and high blood pressure by 7 percent.
“This study shows a significant incidence of renal, cardiac and gastrointestinal side effects in elderly people frequently prescribed acetaminophen (paracetamol) in the UK,” the authors wrote. wrote in a study published in the journal Arthritis Care and Research.
“Because of its perceived safety, paracetamol has long been recommended as a first-line drug treatment for osteoarthritis in many treatment guidelines, especially in elderly people who are at high risk of drug-related complications,” said lead researcher Weiya Zhang of the university. School of Medicine in Nottingham.
“However, more research is now needed Confirm “Our findings, given its minimal pain-relieving effect, warrant careful consideration of the use of paracetamol as a first-line pain reliever for chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis in the elderly,” Zhang said.
For their analysis, the researchers looked at the health records of 1,80,483 (1.80 lakh) people who were frequently prescribed paracetamol (more than two prescriptions within six months).
Here’s what you should consider (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Their health outcomes were compared with 4,02,478 (4.02 lakh) people of the same age who were not frequently prescribed paracetamol.
Data for the study were analyzed from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink-Gold. Participants were aged 65 and over (median age 75) and had been registered with a UK general practitioner for at least one year between 1998 and 2018.
A 2016 study in The Lancet journal collected and analyzed data from 76 randomized trials involving 58,451 patients published between 1980 and 2015. Researchers at the University of Bern found that paracetamol did not provide a minimum level of effective pain relief or improve physical function. Patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis.
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