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Understanding Paracetamol: Uses, Safety, and Potential Drug Interactions

This session explores paracetamol, covering its common uses as an analgesic and antipyretic, safety considerations when used with other medications, potential interactions with warfarin, and special precautions for geriatric patients.


  • paracetamol

  • Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is a commonly used analgesic and antipyretic medication. Here are some important points about paracetamol based on authoritative sources:

    1. General Use: Paracetamol is widely used to relieve pain and reduce fever1.
    2. Safety with Other Medications: It's usually safe to take paracetamol with most prescription medicines, including antibiotics. However, caution is advised if you are on medications like warfarin, epilepsy treatments, or tuberculosis treatments23.
    3. Interactions with Warfarin: Regular high doses of paracetamol may increase the risk of bleeding for those taking warfarin, a blood thinner1.
    4. Potential Drug Interactions: There are few clinically significant drug interactions with paracetamol, but chronic use or overdose can lead to hepatotoxicity, especially when combined with enzyme-inducing drugs24.
    5. Geriatric Patients: A study on hospitalized geriatric patients found that 10% were at risk of drug-drug interactions with paracetamol, particularly if they were also taking warfarin or other specific medications5.

    If you have any more specific questions or need information on particular aspects of paracetamol, feel free to ask!

    Footnotes

    1. NHS: Paracetamol for adults 2

    2. Maurice J Toes, "Drug interactions with paracetamol - PubMed", PubMed Central, 2025 2

    3. NHS: Taking warfarin with other medicines and herbal supplements

    4. Maurice J Toes, "Drug interactions with paracetamol - PubMed", PubMed Central, 2025

    5. Lykke Ida Kaas Oldenburg, "The Risk of Drug-Drug Interactions with Paracetamol in a Population of Hospitalized Geriatric Patients", PubMed Central, 2020

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