Paracetamol (acetaminophen), its benefits and side effects

Hello everyone, I am happy and excited to be back again here in this great community, after a long stress of learning for my end-of-semester examinations. I am glad to have completed this semester successfully and hope for flying colors with my results. Today I would be discussing Paracetamol, its benefits, and side effects as well.

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As we all know, Paracetamol which is also called acetaminophen is a common drug that can be gotten from almost every over-the-counter. It is used as a pain reliever and sometimes used to reduce fever. Paracetamol is manufactured or formulated in different forms including tablet form, liquid form, capsule form, etc.

I would say, that paracetamol is among one the commonest drugs used in the globe. They are used in treating headaches, sore throats, mild pain, and fever as well.

Some common names for Paracetamol

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Paracetamol has several common names and they include; Aceta, Panadol, Maranox, MedaCap, MedaTab, Genebs, Genapa, Fem-Etts, Dapacin, Tylenol, etc.

Paracetamol contains a white crystalline powder which is the active ingredient of it. It is termed as N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide. This active ingredient in paracetamol when taken orally, is absorbed very quickly. This active ingredient is excreted in urine and a factor of that can be the light molecular weight of the compound. Let's look at some of the benefits of taking paracetamol drug.

As stated above, paracetamol is used to treat pain or serves as a pain reliever. It also has the ability to treat fever and other types of pain.

Moreover, paracetamol when combined with other drugs can be used to cure pain that is seen to be more severe.

Furthermore, paracetamol is used in treating some associated pain illnesses including headaches, menstrual cramps, and muscle aches.

Paracetamol is safer to use than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as it contains a similar amount of analgesics as in NSAIDs. Also, paracetamol when compared with aspirin is the best because it does not cause blood clotting thereby being the safest for use.

As there are always side effects of drugs, it is for paracetamol as well. Some of its side effects include the following;

Paracetamol when taken into overdose can cause some side effects like vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation. In critical situations, it can cause skin rash and liver damage.

It can be addictive or abusive when misused or taken in an overdose. Because it is a powerful drug used for relieving pain, people tend to abuse it and they become addicted to it as time goes on.

Research in the United Kingdom has found out that taking paracetamol for a long time can lead to high blood pressure and even stroke. It is advisable that we take paracetamol at their prescribed dose and not overdose it. Also, we should consult our doctors before consuming paracetamol to be sure and aware that it doesn't have any negative impact on our health.

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Thank you all for your time and attention. I am looking forward to seeing you again in my next post.

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