Thursday, 12 December 2024
New research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that repeated doses of paracetamol in people aged 65 and over, can lead to an increased risk of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal complications.
The new study, which is published in Arthritis Care and Research, shows that care must be taken when repeated doses are required for chronic painful conditions such as osteoarthritis in older people.
The study was led by Professor Weiya Zhang, from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham.
Due to its perceived safety, paracetamol has long been recommended as the first line drug treatment for osteoarthritis by many treatment guidelines, especially in older people who are at higher risk of drug-related complications.”
The study analysed data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink-Gold. Participants were aged 65 and over with an average age of 75, and had been registered with a UK GP practice for at least a year between 1998 and 2018.
Researchers looked at the health records of 180,483 people who had been prescribed paracetamol repeatedly (≥2 prescriptions within six months) during the study. Their health outcomes were then compared to 402,478 people of the same age who had never been prescribed paracetamol repeatedly.
The findings showed that prolonged paracetamol use was associated with an increased risk of peptic ulcers, heart failure, hypertension and chronic kidney disease.
Professor Zhang adds: “Whilst 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.”
The full study can be found here.
Story credits
More information is available Professor Weiya Zhang from the School of Medicine at weiya.zhang@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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