Paracetamol, a widely used over-the-counter pain reliever, may pose significant health risks to adults aged 65 and above, particularly when taken long-term. Despite being commonly recommended for treating mild to moderate pain, fever, and osteoarthritis, paracetamol has been linked to increased risks of gastrointestinal, heart, and kidney complications.
A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Nottingham analysed health records of over 1,80,000 people repeatedly prescribed paracetamol and found alarming associations.
The results showed that paracetamol use was linked to a 24% increased risk of peptic ulcer bleeding and a 36% increased risk of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Additionally, the study found that taking paracetamol may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease by 19%, heart failure by 9%, and hypertension by 7%.
The researchers caution that their findings warrant careful consideration of paracetamol's use as a first-line pain reliever for long-term conditions like osteoarthritis in older adults. This concern is echoed by previous studies, including a 2016 Lancet study, which found that paracetamol provided minimal pain relief and did not improve physical function in patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis.
The study's lead researcher, Weiya Zhang, emphasises that while paracetamol has long been perceived as a safe medication, its repeated use in older adults can have significant adverse effects. As such, healthcare providers and patients must carefully weigh the benefits and risks of paracetamol use, particularly for long-term conditions.
For their analysis, the researchers looked at health records of 1,80,483 (1.80 lakh) people repeatedly prescribed paracetamol (more than two prescriptions within six months).
Their health outcomes were compared to those of 4,02,478 (4.02 lakh) people of the same age who were never prescribed paracetamol repeatedly.