Paracetamol care urged
June 20, 2014
A STUDY of people who
intentionally take more than the
recommended dose of modified-release
paracetamol has warned
that the current pack size of the
medication might put patients
at risk of larger overdose, the
Australian College for Emergency
Medicine has said.
Published in Emergency Medicine
Australasia, the study by Professor
Andis Graudins found that from
October 2009 to September
2013, 42 cases of poisoning with
modified-release paracetamol
were identified in Monash Health
Emergency Departments.
This was 5% of all cases involving
paracetamol seen during that time
and 27 were large acute ingestions
that received immediate treatment.
Four patients had an initial blood
paracetamol reading that was
non-toxic but whose concentration
later increased into the toxic range,
a delay related to the modifiedrelease
formulation, the study said.
Graudins said most people
with overdose of modifiedrelease
paracetamol were easily
recognised, but vigilance was
required by doctors to ensure
poisoning was not missed in the
small number who had late rises in
their concentrations.
PSA national president Grant
Kardachi said people should be
encouraged to buy pain relief
from pharmacists and engage in
conversations about it.
Paracetamol seemed to be
marketed as a “safe” medicine
but it was a serious medicine that
needed to be taken according to
directions, he said.
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