Paracetamol is one of the most common over-the-counter drugs. In addition to the domestic name Paracetamol, this medicine can be found under the following names: Efferalgan, Panadol, Paracet, Volpan, Dofalgan, Mexalen, Opradol, Akamol, Acetaminophen.
The forms of its release are very diverse:
- Syrups.
- Capsules
- Drops.
- Elixirs.
- Rectal suppositories.
- Tablets.
- Soluble powders for oral administration.
- Liquid for injection.
The properties of the drug are reduced to anesthesia and lowering the temperature, as evidenced by the attached instructions, which indicate that the drug "Paracetamol" is an analgesic and antipyretic.
Paracetamol tablets: what do they help from? This medication is intended to treat the manifestations (symptoms) of a disease, and can only be used to temporarily relieve pain and heat. To determine the ailment and thorough treatment, it is advisable to consult your doctor, who will decide whether it makes sense to continue taking this medication.
"Paracetamol" is a fairly safe drug, usually not causing serious disorders in the body due to an overdose. Exceeding the dose in two or three times the size usually does not pose a threat to health, but you should not be guided by this and take the medicine in excess of the norm in the hope of easing the fever or pain more quickly.
The effect of the drug and its hidden capabilities
Unlike Ibuprofen, Paracetamol tablets do not have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, however, due to their positive qualities, they can be found in almost every home medicine cabinet.
This drug is best tolerated by people with a high level of acidity, it can be taken at any time and not necessarily after a meal (as is commonly believed).
The effect of the drunk medication appears after about 15 minutes and lasts for 4 hours. Some studies have confirmed that this miracle drug affects not only physical pain, but also the poor state of mind caused by any incident, which means that its effect extends to the central nervous system.
The drug "Paracetamol": disadvantages
Since there are no ideal medicines, this universal drug has disadvantages that you should definitely be aware of:
- The drug "Paracetamol" does not always help and not everyone. This fact is explained by the fact that it is a rather weak pain medication, ineffective in severe pain. Perhaps the reason lies in the development in people of a different number of liver enzymes, which inactivate the medication itself. A high level of enzymes simply removes the medicine from the body before it has time to act.
- Despite its harmlessness, there is still a risk of overdose. The critical content of Paracetamol in the blood can pose a real threat to human life. The maximum dose should contain no more than 2 tablets in one dose, such doses should be no more than 4 per day.
The medicine is not for frequent use
Paracetamol (tablets), the use of which was excessive, can very quickly affect the internal organs. Patients in the intensive care unit are given a large amount of N-acetylcysteine antidote. A condition in which the elimination of toxins from the body is difficult (liver disease, a hangover, an individual characteristic of the body) can worsen the situation and greatly complicate the work of the liver.
This medicine is not intended for systematic use, therefore, if the pain is caused by any chronic disease, you should look for alternative analgesics.
Tablets "Paracetamol". From what and how much to take: safety rules
- The highest dose for adults is 4 grams per day, 1 gram at a time. The interval between doses of the drug should be at least 4 hours. Any dose is taken into account, regardless of the form in which it enters the body - orally, intravenously or rectally.
- Children's dosage is indicated in the annotation or on the bottle, it is calculated based on the weight and age of the child. As for the drug “Paracetamol" in tablets, for children, the dosage in tablets is calculated in the same way as for adults, and the calculation of the amount of the drug by the weight of the child will be more accurate than by its age. Well, if you can’t find out the exact weight of the baby, you should use the age table.
What is not worth doing?
In no case should the maximum dosage and number of doses be exceeded. If the child’s temperature rises earlier than the allotted intake period, the medicine should be replaced, for example, with Ibuprofen. If there is no alternative, or if the baby is too small to take other medicines, you can have a warm shower, then be sure to call the children's doctor. If nevertheless the maximum dose has been exceeded, you should immediately consult a pediatrician, without waiting for the manifestation of side effects.
If you have kidney problems, you should forget about Paracetamol, replacing it with Aspirin.
Contraindications:
- High sensitivity to the drug.
- Newborns up to 3 months.
- Pregnancy, lactation.
- Liver disease.
- Old age.
You can not take uncontrolled tablets "Paracetamol". What does the dosage depend on? This remedy is an integral part of complex preparations, such as Antigrippin, Teraflu, Fervex, Solpadein, Coldrex, Mexavit, Panadein and many others used for colds and with additional effects - antiallergic, antitussive, eliminating nasal congestion. To avoid overdose, the drug must be kept away from children.
In Russia, the drug “Paracetamol" (for children) can be presented in the form of syrup and suppositories of 50-150 mg, which are used almost from the first months of a child's life. In order to correctly calculate the dose and prevent poisoning with the drug, it is advisable to prescribe Paracetamol in tablets to children over 6 years old.
Calculation of the effective dose for the child:
- 3-6 months ~ 2 times a day for 80 mg;
- 6-12 months ~ 2-3 times 80 mg each;
- 1-2 years ~ 3-4 times 80 mg each;
- 2-4 years ~ 2-3 times 150 mg each;
- 4-6 years old ~ 3-4 times a day, 150 mg each;
- 6-8 years old ~ 2-3 times 250-300 mg each;
- 8-12 years old ~ 3 times a day for 250-300 mg;
- 12-15 years old ~ 3-4 times 250-300 mg each.
Faithful helper
Why is Paracetamol so popular? What exactly is such fame for? The most common reason for its use is an increase in temperature in infectious diseases, among which the most common are ARVI. High effectiveness of the drug is observed precisely with acute respiratory viral infections, however, when complications of this disease occur, the effect of the drug is minimized or completely disappears. No serious infection for this medication is too tough, since it is not possible to lower the temperature in this case. That is why the drug "Paracetamol" should be in every first-aid kit, as it makes it possible to correctly assess the severity of the disease: if the temperature easily gets off, then there is a high probability of an insignificant disease of the body. If he does not give any action, then something more serious is possible, which means that you should visit your doctor in the near future.