Dangerous painkillers aspirin & paracetamol

Painkillers like aspirin or acetaminophen can provoke serious side effects

23/01/2012

Every year around 3.8 million people in Germany swallow painkillers such as aspirin or acetaminophen. The over the counter pills without obligation on a medical prescription can be bought in the pharmacy. Most Germans assume that the active ingredients are well tolerated for this reason. But experts warn: The pain medicines carry a high risk of unwanted side effects and therefore require a prescription requirement or even a complete ban.

Headaches, migraines, back pain or body aches: More and more Germans swallow painkillers. What many do not know: Even small amounts can have serious consequences for your health. This can cause severe liver damage. If the dose taken is too high, the drugs can even kill. Even if the dosage is met by the consumer, side effects are not excluded. Nevertheless, most people are careless with the highly effective drugs.

Prescription is not enough
The physician and pharmacologist Professor dr. Kay Brune from the University of Erlangen recently made it clear in an interview that the remedy paracetamol should not even be given to patients by prescription, despite the fact that the active substance has been on the WHO's list of essential drugs since 1977. According to common opinion, in overdose, adults over 10 grams daily (50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight formula) can sustain non-reversible liver damage. In severe cases, acute liver failure is imminent. Patients who are alcoholics or have less excretion of acetaminophen may suffer from liver failure even at lower levels. Every year, around 30,000 patients in England are admitted to a clinic for paracetamol intoxication. About 150 people die annually from the toxic effects of the drug.

Symptoms of poisoning with analgesics
Initial symptoms after poisoning of the painkiller appear in the first two days after ingestion. The poisoned people initially suffer from nausea and vomiting, facial pallor, decreased appetite and abdominal pain as the first warning signs of liver damage. The blood count shows elevated liver values. If there is no rapid medical treatment, then there is the possibility of permanent liver damage in about ten percent, which is about 20 percent of those affected die. Somewhat less often it can also lead to kidney failure.

Paracetamol would not be allowed today
„Today, an agent such as acetaminophen would no longer be approved“, reminds Brune in an interview with the magazine FOCUS. Not even on prescription, patients should be given the drug. In his opinion, damage to the liver can already happen from four grams daily dose. If about twice the dose is taken, liver failure can occur. Therefore, pain patients should rather rely on alternatives to pain relief than to use acetaminophen. „We have a drug on the market here that has a lethal effect even with little overdose“ says the drug specialist Brune. „It is not a nice death and it takes over several days“, he admonishes. Therefore, the funds should be withdrawn from the market.

Aspirin is also dangerous
Now many assume that aspirin can be taken as an alternative preparation. But even the classic comes at Brune in his rating bad away. The aspirin-containing acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) was only recommended for cardiac patients who suffered from, for example, a heart attack. Although the effect of the drug in the short term analgesic but also in the long term blood thinning, says the pharmacologist. If ASA is taken, insist „unnecessary risk of bleeding“. Therefore, regular surgical interventions in clinics are canceled if the patient previously took aspirin. If high doses of more than 10 grams are taken, life-threatening acidosis (acidosis) with respiratory paralysis and unconsciousness can be provoked. What is not perceived in the public: Side effects of ASA and remedies such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen belong to sixteen leading causes of death in the USA. However, since the number of victims of free painkillers in the publicly available statistics is not listed individually, take the most of the analgesic hazards little notice. Therefore, many do not adapt their consumer behavior and run the risk of severe poisoning.

Warning of combined painkillers
In this context, expert Brune warns against combined remedies that combine various active ingredients. These are particularly hazardous to health, as many patients easily lose track of which drugs are consumed in which doses. Therefore, the benefit to the harmful effects is usually lower.

„Why are the painkillers not subject to greater scrutiny by the appropriate medical and health authorities?“ Professor Brune reports: The active ingredients of acetaminophen and aspirin are not subject to any patient. For this reason, none of the pharmaceutical companies wants to invest funds in further research. Because of the results also benefits the competing manufacturers, says the researchers.

If necessary, take other painkillers
If painkillers are to be taken, Brune recommends taking ibuprofen or deiclofenac instead. However, even these agents can lead to serious damage if improperly taken. Although the analgesics are better researched and generally well tolerated, these are also highly potent agents and no candies. For example, the drugs could destroy the protection of the vessels if the dose was misjudged and ingested.

If you take ibuprofen you may experience symptoms like heartburn, nausea or diarrhea. At higher doses and prolonged intake, gastrointestinal bleeding, stomach ulcers or gastritis may also occur. In addition, Swiss scientists recently found in a study that regular use increases the risk of stroke three-fold. The Bernese epidemiologist Peter Jüni and his team compared the data from 31 studies with a total of 116,000 subjects. Jüni said in an interview: As an alternative „to have a painkiller own exercise“. The researcher points to a series of scientific evaluations that showed that, for example, back pain improves when those involved exercise. Non-harmful alternatives are also offered by traditional Chinese medicine in the form of acupuncture and natural remedies. Homeopathic remedies have proven to be useful.

Poison Control Center calls for prescription painkillers
The East German Poison Information Center in Erfurt had recently warned against painkillers and demanded in this context a general prescription requirement. „Every day we experience a case of overdose“, said the director of the institution Helmut Hentschel. The step to the prescription obligation is „long overdue, as an overdose causes serious side effects.“ In Erfurt alone, 360 cases of paracetamol poisoning were registered last year. Although there would be a limit on the amount dispensed, patients could simply go to the nearest pharmacy and buy more painkillers. Therefore, the acquisition must be made more difficult by the regulation. (Sb)

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Image: Gerd Altmann, Pixelio.de