Extended paracetamol use may not be safe in the over-65 age group according to a new study that found an association with gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal complications.
Prolonged use of paracetamol was linked to an increased risk of peptic ulcers, heart failure, hypertension and chronic kidney disease.
Study leader Weiya Zhang said that paracetamol was often the first line treatment ‘due to its perceived safety’. She added that this was especially true ‘in older people who are at higher risk of drug-related complications’.
Extended use of paracetamol is particularly common for long-term or chronic conditions.
Researchers analysed the health records of more than 180,000 people who had been prescribed paracetamol repeatedly. This was compared to data from more than 400,000 people who had not been prescribed paracetamol.
All participants were aged 65 and above, with an average age of 75.
Professor Zhang said: ‘While further research is now needed to confirm our findings, given its minimal pain-relief effect, the use of paracetamol as a first line pain killer for long-term conditions such as osteoarthritis in older people needs to be carefully considered.’
What are the alternatives to paracetamol?
Several studies have explored alternatives to painkillers such as paracetamol. In November 2023, a study found that CBD from marijuana was an effective alternative to opioid painkillers for reducing dental pain.
When CBD was compared to a placebo, 85% of people saw at least a 50% reduction in pain, with the median reduction in pain at approximately 70%.
Those who received CBD also had a stronger bite force, suggesting it also improved tooth function. This would be useful in cases where pain is reducing the patient’s ability to chew.
Another study found that listening to emotional music could reduce sensitivity to pain. Music that participants found moving had a greater impact than energising, happy or relaxing music.
Listening to their favourite music decreased patients’ pain by one point on a 10-point scale. Lead author Darius Valevicius said this was ‘at least as strong as an over-the-counter painkiller’.
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