More than fifty years ago, paracetamol began to be widely used. At first, it was positioned simply as an alternative to aspirin - it lowers the temperature, but does not have an irritating effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Now this drug is an integral part of any home medicine cabinet.
Its main properties are analgesic and antipyretic. Its anti-inflammatory effect is minimal. Therefore, it is taken for symptomatic treatment. Usually used for febrile syndrome caused by an infectious disease, as well as for various pains.
Side effects
In general, if the dose of paracetamol is within the normal range, the drug is slightly toxic. But with prolonged use, side effects develop. Paracetamol has a particularly noticeable effect on the liver and kidneys.
Paracetamol has been used for quite some time. From time to time its safety is called into question and research is carried out. For example, a teacher at the University of Illinois stated that taking paracetamol in children caused a 41% increase in the incidence of asthma. She conducted her research from 1970 to 1990, when America massively switched from aspirin to paracetamol.
The use of paracetamol by pregnant women also has its risks. Analgesics from this series can cause disruption of the development of the genital organs in boys. Therefore, paracetamol is contraindicated in pregnant women in the third trimester and in newborns up to one month old.
Paracetamol dosage by age
Adolescents and adults are usually prescribed paracetamol 500 mg 4 times a day. In this case, the maximum daily dose of paracetamol should not exceed 4 g. Interval between doses: four to six hours.
Pregnant women can use paracetamol with caution, once. Infants up to three months old should not drink it at all.
From 6 to 12 months the same single dose - 80 mg, but 2 - 3 times a day.
The most harmless tablets for fever are paracetamol. It is used for pain in the joints and head at any age from young to old. Not a drug, but an all-healing medicine. The popularity is due to the following:
- Rarely causes an immunopathological process - allergy
- Rarely causes unwanted effects
- Quickly copes with pain and fever
- All produced forms are applicable - syrups, tablets, capsules, etc.
– a harmless drug, but if you drink a lot, poisoning is possible.
First symptoms of poisoning
To avoid severe consequences with a fatal outcome, it is necessary to recognize paracetamol poisoning at the earliest stage. This is the main task, but it is complicated by the absence of symptoms in the first couple. The first thing that can indicate poisoning is the symptoms characteristic of liver damage. They develop a short period of time after poisoning, and the antidote is no longer so effective.
There are 4 stages with symptoms of paracetamol poisoning:
Stage I
Time period: From the moment of admission
Characteristic symptoms: Sensation preceding vomiting, vomiting, painful condition
Stage II
Time period: Development of liver toxicity within 24 hours and up to 36.
Characteristic symptoms: Bilirubin - a bile pigment and indicators of the blood clotting pathway, may exceed the norm in case of severe poisoning. It may also be accompanied by unpleasant pain in the right hypochondrium.
Stage III
Time period: Peak of hepatotoxicity. From 72 – 96 hours.
Characteristic symptoms: Involuntary eruption of stomach contents and symptoms of liver failure. Bilirubin levels and blood clotting pathways reach their maximum. Possibility of developing pancreatitis and renal failure.
IV stage
Time period: Recovery. From 3 - 5 days.
Characteristic symptoms: If there is no death, then restoration of the liver follows. The process takes from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.
Dosage calculation for adults
To make it as clear as possible, let’s clarify right away: there are 10 tablets in one package. The weight of the entire package is 5 grams. Accordingly, 1 tablet weighs 500 milligrams.
Adolescents over 16 years of age and adults are prescribed 1 (500 ml) tablet four times a day. The daily maximum is unacceptable for exceeding 4 grams, i.e. 8 tablets, 500 grams each. The interval between doses is from 4 to 6 hours.
For pregnant women, it is better to limit the use of this drug, or better yet, eliminate it.
Calculation of dosage for children
Infants under 4 months are strictly prohibited from drinking.
To avoid an overdose of paracetamol in children, you must follow the instructions in the table:
3 – 6 months
2 times a day. 80 mg per day.
6 – 12 months
2 – 3 times a day. 80 mg per day.
1 – 2 years
3 times a day. 150 mg per day.
2 - 4 years
4 times a day. 150 mg per day.
6 – 8 years
8 – 12 years
4 times a day. 200 - 300 mg per day.
12-15 years
4 times a day. 200 - 300 mg per day.
Drug overdose
Getting an overdose of paracetamol is not that difficult. But why does a sane person need this? A significant role is played by the universal availability of the drug and its issuance without a prescription under various names. There is an opinion that there is no such thing as too much paracetamol. If I felt unwell and had a fever, paracetamol helped. To avoid sick leave, I prescribed myself a set of treatment with anti-cold medications and went to work. An hour later there is a meeting, but you are not feeling well – a powdered medicine diluted in boiling water will help. There is always a way out and you don’t need to think for a long time about which medicine to purchase, since there is enough advertising on this subject. And few people think about the composition of all these drugs. This is a big omission, since most often they all contain the active ingredient - paracetamol. And accordingly, exceeding the dose is inevitable.
How many tablets is permissible to take? If you take 5 paracetamol tablets, there is no danger for an adult, since it does not exceed the critical daily norm. What happens if you take 10 paracetamol tablets? As noted above, the permissible daily intake is 4 grams, and there are 5 in a package, i.e. the excess will be only 1 gram (2 tablets). It is important to note here that we are talking about taking it at intermediate intervals throughout the day. This is not critical, but still not worth experimenting with. It is important to note here that we are talking about taking it at intermediate intervals throughout the day.
In America, paracetamol is one of the few medications that can be purchased without a prescription. Therefore, in order to avoid a progressive amount of intoxication of people or cases of paracetamol poisoning, and subsequently death, measures have been taken. The authorities organized a propaganda program to inform residents about the dangers of overdosing on this medicine.
Lethal dose
When asked whether it is possible to die from paracetamol, the doctors answered. The lethal dose of paracetamol is 1.945 g/kg body weight. To put it simply, these are 2 packages weighing 5 grams each.
Paracetamol should only be taken if you really feel unwell. Doctors strongly recommend not to take the drug on your own for more than 3 days; the worst outcome can be death.
Paracetamol Antidote
Is there salvation in the form of an antidote? Yes, there is an antidote for paracetamol! This is a very well-known cough medicine - acetylcysteine (ACC). Indications for use: after an overdose of paracetamol, drink ACC within 7 hours. Dosage 300 milligrams per day. It is a misconception that activated carbon can cope with this problem as an antidote.
Paracetamol is a well-known antipyretic drug. It is important to strictly follow the dosage regimen to avoid overdose. But if such a situation occurs, you need to know how to provide help.
Doctors from all over the world recommend taking paracetamol when your body temperature rises. The medicine is really effective, but if the dosage is not followed, it can cause significant harm to the body, turning into poison for both adults and children. The majority of the world's population has no idea what will happen if you drink 10 paracetamol tablets or take a dose that exceeds the permissible limit.
Paracetamol is an antipyretic drug. Helps with headaches and has a mild anti-inflammatory effect. The drug has an inhibitory effect on the cause of the increase in temperature. Absorption of the drug substances occurs in the upper intestine, then they enter the body tissues; their breakdown occurs in the liver.
Paracetamol can also be prescribed for back pain, toothache and headache, myalgia and neuralgia, arthralgia, algodismenorrhea. The drug is recommended to be taken when the body temperature rises, which was caused by colds, flu and other infectious diseases.
If you take a large amount of the drug, then your health problems will be much worse than a high fever. Why is this happening? 120 minutes after taking paracetamol orally, the drug begins to enter the blood. The highest concentration is achieved approximately 4 hours after administration.
During the metabolic process, toxins enter every organ and tissue, which leads to disruption of their functioning. Then acidosis occurs (blood acidification). In the process of poisoning, all organs are affected, but the most negative impact is on the liver, heart, pancreas, and central nervous system.
Dosage table
You can calculate a single dose for administration yourself using the formula: 60 mg * 1 kg of weight. But this form is valid for children and adults weighing up to 50 kg. The dosage is the same and must be followed, regardless of the form of release. Doctors always recommend reading the instructions to avoid overdose or side effects.
Overdose of the drug is divided into 4 stages:
Symptoms of intoxication
Intoxication can be determined by the first signs that begin to appear 2-3 hours after taking a dose that exceeds the permissible limit. Symptoms of overdose include:
- Heaviness and pain in the liver area.
- Vomiting, nausea at the sight of food.
- Malaise and weakness throughout the body.
If you do not pay attention to the above symptoms and do not seek help, toxins will spread throughout the body. It will appear like this:
An overdose of the drug poses a great danger to the entire body, but in cases where the dose has been exceeded slightly, only symptoms of mild poisoning will appear. An average overdose in a large number of cases occurs without symptoms or complications, even in children (depending on the state of the immune system and other characteristics of the body).
It is important to read the instructions for paracetamol, it says about overdose and how many tablets you need to take just to bring down the temperature. It is important to follow the recommendations so as not to end up in a hospital bed. It is recommended to take no more than 4 tablets per day for adults and 2 children. Taking more will trigger the poisoning process.
Packs of paracetamol are available with different contents of active substances: 0.2 g, 0.35 g. and 0.5 gr. The daily dose should be no more than 4 grams; accordingly, if you take 10 tablets of the drug with active substances 0.2 and 0.35, then the permissible dosage will not be exceeded. If you eat 10 tablets, each containing 0.5 g. active substances, then signs of mild poisoning may appear.
After an overdose of paracetamol, the consequences may vary depending on the person's age. It also depends on the state of the immune system.
Adults
An overdose of the drug in adults is accompanied by severe complications. Treatment is carried out in a hospital for about 21 days, then therapy is prescribed at home.
Important! Patients with an overdose of paracetamol, whose lives were saved, develop liver failure.
Little children
In children, metabolic processes occur with peculiarities; for this reason, they tolerate an overdose of paracetamol much easier than adults. Liver failure develops only in particularly difficult cases.
If symptoms of an overdose begin to appear, then you should immediately call an ambulance. Before the doctors arrive, you should do gastric lavage: drink a large amount of water and take activated charcoal at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kilograms of weight. After the first symptoms appear, it is necessary to introduce an antidote into the body within eight hours, namely acetylcesteine. The antidote helps remove toxins from the body.
Doctors prescribe:
You can die about 10 grams. drug (20 tablets, 0.5 g each), taken once in combination with alcohol. If the body is weak, then 10 grams without alcohol will be enough. In a short time, death occurs when taking 20 grams. (40 tablets, 0.5 g each) one time. When the intoxication is very strong, a person’s life cannot be saved even in intensive care.
When taking a lethal dose of paracetamol tablets, organs (usually the liver) gradually begin to fail, which leads to death. Death usually occurs 5 days after a severe overdose.
To avoid poisoning from the drug, you need to follow the recommendations of specialists:
Reasons for Abuse
There are few reasons for drug overdose and these include:
- Suicide.
- Treatment with drugs containing paracetamol and paracetamol at the same time.
- Treatment with paracetamol in the acute stage of liver disease.
- Combination of alcohol with a drug.
It is worth noting that a large number of paracetamol overdoses occur as a result of suicide, but only 0.9% of victims could not be saved.
Many people try to ignore the first symptoms of a paracetamol overdose, which can cause serious complications and even death. You must consult a doctor immediately.
Paracetamol is recognized as a very controversial drug that has pain-relieving properties. It is important to note that many pharmacists have proposed banning Paracetamol more than once. Nevertheless, it is actively used in the therapy of children and adults, as it is a very effective antipyretic and analgesic.
The active ingredient of the drug is acetaminophen, which occupies the lion's share in the composition of many antiviral and cold medicines, powders and mixtures. Due to active use, about twenty thousand poisonings with such combination drugs are recorded annually.
The main blow in an overdose of Paracetamol goes to the liver. Poisoning is possible only when there is a strong excess of the dosage or prolonged use. In such a situation, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner to avoid many undesirable consequences and complications.
An overdose of Paracetamol in children and adults may result from a single dose of a large number of drugs containing this substance, or an excessively long course of treatment with such drugs. An overdose has a rather detrimental effect on an adult, but even more so on a child. Therefore, if you discover suspicious symptoms, you must definitely call the emergency team.
It should be remembered that any drug poisoning can cause serious negative health consequences and can also cause death. Every day, many people die from such poisonings, therefore, if possible, it is necessary to urgently take the victim to the hospital, but not self-medicate.
Entering the human body, Paracetamol penetrates the blood within two hours. Its maximum concentration is created in the blood after four hours. Therefore, after taking one tablet, you should not immediately take another if the first one did not help. You need to wait a little, otherwise the consequences may be very sad.
When a small portion of a drug enters the body, the binding of toxic metabolic products in the liver is observed, which occurs due to the effect of glutathione. As for elimination, it occurs without any harm to health. Signs of an overdose may appear when an excessive amount of medication enters the body. In this case, glutathione deficiency develops, so liver protein binds to metabolites, and this provokes the death of liver cells. Against the background of such a process, symptoms of intoxication develop. To the question of whether it is possible to die from an overdose, the answer will be positive, since everything depends on the individual characteristics of the body, the dose of the drug and the time of exposure.
Such metabolic products have a strong toxic effect on the heart, kidneys, central nervous system and pancreas. It is important to note that such a picture contributes to the depression of consciousness and provokes the development of acidosis. As for the daily dose of Paracetamol, for an adult it is four grams, but if there are liver pathologies, then much less. A single dose of 7.5-10 grams can cause acute poisoning. As for the lethal dosage, it is about twenty-five grams for an adult.
Causes of intoxication:
- accident;
- suicide;
- combining medications with alcoholic beverages;
- intentionally exceeding the dose in order to enhance the therapeutic effect;
- simultaneous use of Paracetamol with certain drugs: corticosteroids, antihistamines and hypnotics;
- the presence of chronic liver pathologies;
- prolonged use of large doses of medication.
To avoid overdose and poisoning, it is important to follow the instructions and not self-medicate, because this can be very dangerous and even fatal.
Clinical picture of Paracetamol poisoning
In case of intoxication, even death cannot be ruled out; it depends on the age and weight of the patient, as well as the presence of concomitant diseases. To prevent serious complications and death, it is important to promptly detect pathogenic symptoms that indicate an overdose. In this case, emergency medical attention may be needed.
Symptoms of poisoning look like this:
- The first stage is characterized by the absence of any external manifestations; even appropriate laboratory tests cannot identify the problem.
- Literally after twenty-four hours, and in children after twelve, liver damage begins to develop. Considering the level and volume of drug overdose, symptoms can vary significantly. Abdominal pain, vomiting with nausea, heartburn, flatulence, and diarrhea occur. Other systems of the body also suffer, which is characterized by rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, headache, lethargy, even coma.
- In the third stage, in the absence of proper medical care, acute liver necrosis develops. In this situation, death may occur on the third to fifth day due to the development of hepatic encephalopathy.
- As for the fourth stage, this is the rehabilitation stage, if the drug is completely evacuated from the human body. In this case, the liver recovers completely in just a few weeks, but this will require a course of intensive therapy.
Video
First aid for poisoning
As with any drug poisoning, it is important to act very quickly and wisely so as not to make common mistakes.
Algorithm for providing first aid to a patient:
- Carry out a gastric lavage procedure with plenty of water;
- give him activated charcoal;
- call the emergency team.
The main antidote of Paracetamol is acetylcysteine, it is a precursor for glutathione. Thanks to its use, it is possible to neutralize the breakdown products of the drug, as well as evacuate them from the victim’s body. The ideal period for taking the antidote is the first eight hours after poisoning. The antidote must be taken orally or administered intravenously. Primary dose – 140 mg/kg human weight; then for every two hours you need to take a half-reduced dose.
Thus, in case of Paracetamol poisoning, it is necessary to urgently seek medical help, as complications can cause serious liver damage and death. Take care of yourself!
Many potentially dangerous drugs are sold freely at pharmacies without a prescription. Distrust of domestic medicine and self-confidence often leads people to serious consequences: drug poisoning. For example, the most popular antipyretic drug is paracetamol. Everyone gives it to their children and treats it themselves. Surprisingly, the most common reason for an overdose of the well-known paracetamol is exceeding the daily dose of the drug, due to the fact that a person is taking several drugs that contain paracetamol. Without reading the instructions or consulting a doctor, it is easy not to notice that the therapeutic dose of paracetamol is greatly exceeded. As a result, toxic damage to the liver occurs, which means inevitable death. Unfortunately, children suffer from parental illiteracy. Child deaths from paracetamol overdose have become common.
An overdose of paracetamol tablets is dangerous primarily due to the high toxicity of the drug, which has a destructive effect on the liver and kidneys. Adults should not exceed a dosage of 4 g per day, and children - 0.9 g. If a person decides to self-medicate, he should be aware of the permissible dose of paracetamol and the likelihood of an overdose. If you do not know about the consequences that are possible with an overdose of paracetamol, most likely the person will die from liver failure. How does death occur from a paracetamol overdose? If a person ignores the signs of a paracetamol overdose, then poisoning develops in four stages. Without the use of special treatment, a person dies on the fifth day after intoxication with paracetamol.
What symptoms of paracetamol overdose should alert you and cause alarm? At the first stage of an overdose, you may not notice signs of poisoning, mistaking the malaise for a manifestation of the underlying disease. This is why an overdose of paracetamol for children is dangerous: parents independently give their child several drugs containing paracetamol, and do not think about the fact that an excess of the therapeutic dose may occur, which can be fatal in relation to this antipyretic. An overdose of paracetamol manifests itself in full within a day: vomiting, aversion to food, heaviness and pain on the right side under the ribs, fatigue, weakness. How much paracetamol does it take to overdose? Any excess of therapeutic recommendations can be fatal, since paracetamol is highly toxic. The most important thing is that intoxication with paracetamol will appear only after a day, which means that the medicine will have time to destroy the liver, kidneys and pancreas.
Death from paracetamol occurs in most cases due to liver failure, less often due to renal failure and pancreatitis. What to do if you overdose on paracetamol? If the poisoning was intentional, that is, for the purpose of suicide, try to find out how many paracetamol tablets the person took. For an overdose with a fatal outcome, it is enough to slightly exceed the daily norm, therefore, you need to help the victim empty the stomach, give an absorbent, and call an ambulance. If a person is unconscious, call paramedics immediately and monitor the victim’s breathing and pulse until they arrive. The first and most important condition that will help you avoid accidental overdoses of paracetamol is to consult your doctor before starting to take this antipyretic drug.
Everyone knows the pain reliever and antipyretic called analgin. But few people know that just three tablets of analgin can cause an overdose with a fatal outcome. Symptoms of an acute overdose of analgin are as follows: nausea, vomiting, hypothermia, decreased blood pressure, tachycardia, shortness of breath, tinnitus, drowsiness, delirium, impaired consciousness, hemorrhagic syndrome, acute renal and/or liver failure, convulsions, paralysis of the respiratory muscles. Analgin overdose can occur for several reasons: drug abuse; the presence of chronic kidney and liver diseases; taking several medications that include analgin; The combined use of anti-allergy medications and analgin can cause poisoning even if the therapeutic dose is observed. Analgin is not used to treat children under 12 years of age, so its overdose in a child is the responsibility of the attending physician or parents who risked using analgin. Is it possible to die from an overdose of analgin? Death from an overdose of analgin occurs due to the progression of infection in the affected body.
People poisoned by this drug are faced with an atypical severe course of the disease, from which they tried to cure with increased doses of analgin. Typically, death from an analgin overdose occurs from renal or liver failure. Many people are concerned about the question: how much analgin do you need to take to cause an overdose? Very little of this substance is required, only 5 grams taken at once will lead to the darkest consequences of an analgin overdose. From all of the above it follows that poisoning with analgin requires seeking professional medical help. No matter how many analgin tablets a person takes, an overdose of this drug can only be cured in a hospital.
Aspirin helps with pain, fever and is an excellent blood thinner. This drug in large doses can be poisonous. An overdose of aspirin occurs due to self-medication, when a person independently decides to take the medicine, not knowing that there are a lot of diseases for which aspirin is strictly prohibited for use. A fatal aspirin overdose can occur if a child finds the medicine package. Symptoms of an aspirin overdose are as follows: hearing loss, dizziness, headache and back pain, stupor, abdominal pain, vomiting, anemia, loss of consciousness. An overdose of aspirin can cause death, so you should not hesitate to call an ambulance. How long does it take to die from an aspirin overdose?
In acute poisoning, the symptoms develop quite quickly: first, a cough begins, the skin becomes pale, then the skin becomes bluish, breathing becomes rapid, pulmonary edema develops, and foam appears at the victim’s mouth. Usually, with such a development of events, the consequences of an aspirin overdose are the most dire, and the person cannot be saved. How much medication do you need to take for an aspirin overdose to occur? The lethal dose is 50-60 g per day. What to do if you overdose on aspirin? First: we induce vomiting in the victim to completely clear the stomach of aspirin residues. Second: call an ambulance. In fact, nothing else depends on you, since aspirin poisoning develops kidney and liver failure, pulmonary edema, coma, cerebral edema, and the treatment of such conditions is within the competence of professional doctors.
Many people know Citramon, as it is taken along with aspirin for headaches, colds, and to relieve pain syndromes. This drug contains acetylsalicylic acid, large doses of which do not have the best effect on the stomach, liver, and kidneys. Citramon also contains paracetamol, which is highly toxic. If you exceed the recommended doses, an overdose of citramon occurs. How many tablets taken at once can lead to an overdose of citramone? You are allowed to take a maximum of four tablets per day. If you take citramon for too long, or exceed the recommended amount, the medicine can cause digestive disorders, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, rashes on the body, as well as many other serious conditions.
Symptoms of an overdose of citramone: gastrointestinal upset, pain in the stomach, hearing impairment, tinnitus, breathing problems, bleeding, convulsions, loss of consciousness, coma. Is it possible to die from an overdose of citramone? Such cases occur extremely rarely; rather, serious disorders are observed in the human body, chronically exceeding the permissible dose of this drug. What are the consequences of an overdose of citramone? Kidney and liver failure, gastric ulcer, bleeding disorders, anemia, heart rhythm disturbances, disorders of the cardiovascular system. To avoid such serious health problems, at the first signs of an overdose of citramone, call an ambulance. Only professional doctors will help you avoid the serious consequences of citramone intoxication.
