Staggered overdose of paracetamol may be fatal

November 26, 2011 Health Care Comments Off

Taking even slightly too much paracetamol over a period of several days can lead to an overdose with deadly consequences, according to a study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. According to the study, 37.3 percent of patients with staggered overdoses died, while 27.8 percent of single overdose patients died.

After analyzing data from 663 patients with paracetamol-induced liver injury, 161 of those patients had suffered a staggered overdose while taking paracetamol.

Compared with people who had taken a single overdose of paracetamol, those with a staggered overdose were more likely to have liver and brain problems, require kidney dialysis or help with breathing, and were at greater risk of dying.

Do not give paracetamol before vaccinations

June 6, 2011 Health Care 459 Comments

The pain and fever that may occur after vaccination can be attenuated by administering paracetamol at the time of immunization. However, this practice may be associated with decreased vaccine response1-4.

The effects of prophylactic paracetamol on fever and immunogenicity were evaluated in a multicenter, open–label trial in which 459 infants (aged 9 to 16 weeks at study entry) were randomly assigned to receive paracetamol at the time of vaccination and for the next 24 hours or no prophylaxis before primary and booster immunizations.

Fewer children who received paracetamol had fever >38°C (42 versus 66 percent and 36 percent versus 58 percent after primary and booster immunization, respectively). However, there was no difference between groups in occurrence of fever ≥39.5°C (<1 to 2 percent) or fever requiring medical attention.

The vaccines were highly immunogenic in both groups, with at least 96 percent of children achieving protective levels of antibody for all antigens. However, prophylactic paracetamol was associated with lower geometric mean antibody titers to pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus after the primary series and lower GMT to pneumococcus, Haemophilus, and tetanus after the booster doses.

References

  1. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1987;6:721–5.
  2. Acta Paediatr Scand 1988;77:747–51.
  3. Pediatrics 1990;85:294–302.
  4. Lancet 2009;374:1339–50.