Long-Term Paracetamol Use Can Cause Heart, Kidney, or Digestive Issues: Study
A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Nottingham highlights the risks of prolonged paracetamol use in individuals aged 65 and above. The research reveals that long-term use of paracetamol may increase the likelihood of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and kidney complications.
Published in Arthritis Care and Research, the study stresses the importance of caution when prescribing repeated doses of paracetamol for chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis in older adults. The research was led by Professor Weiya Zhang from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University’s School of Medicine, and it analyzed data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink-Gold. The study included individuals aged 65 and older, with an average age of 75, who were registered with UK general practices between 1998 and 2018.
The study examined the health records of 180,483 patients who had received at least two paracetamol prescriptions within a six-month period. These results were compared with the outcomes of 402,478 individuals of the same age group who had not received repeated prescriptions of the drug.
The findings indicate that prolonged paracetamol use was linked to increased risks of developing peptic ulcers, hypertension, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease.
Professor Zhang emphasized the implications of these results, noting that while further studies are needed to confirm the findings, the limited pain-relief benefits of paracetamol suggest that its use as a first-line treatment for long-term conditions like osteoarthritis should be carefully reconsidered, particularly in older patients.
As the research highlights, it is essential for healthcare professionals to weigh the potential risks and benefits of paracetamol before recommending it for long-term pain management in the elderly.
