Could paracetamol be harmful to older adults? Paracetamol, a common and widely used medicine for pain and fever, may increase the risk of serious health problems for people aged 65 and above, a new study has shown. The research reveals that the popular drug may cause issues related to the stomach, heart, and kidneys in older adults.

Paracetamol is often used to treat mild-to-moderate fever and is the first choice for treating osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition where the joints become painful, stiff, and swollen. Doctors recommend paracetamol because it is easy to access, considered safe, and effective. However, some studies question how well paracetamol works for pain relief, while others suggest it could cause stomach problems, like ulcers or bleeding, when used for a long time.

Study finds link between paracetamol and health risks

A recent study from the University of Nottingham, UK, found that using PCM tablets regularly was connected to a higher risk of serious conditions, especially for older people. According to the study, paracetamol raised the chances of peptic ulcer bleeding by 24% and the risk of lower gastrointestinal bleeding by 36%. It also increased the risk of chronic kidney disease by 19%, heart failure by 9%, and high blood pressure by 7%.

“This study shows a significant incidence of renal, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal side effects in older people who are prescribed acetaminophen (paracetamol) repeatedly in the UK,” the researchers wrote in the study, which was published in the journal Arthritis Care and Research.

The lead researcher, Weiya Zhang, said, “Due to its perceived safety, it 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.” Zhang went on to say that, “Whilst further research is now needed to confirm our findings, given its minimal pain-relief effect, the use of paracetamol as a first-line painkiller for long-term conditions such as osteoarthritis in older people needs to be carefully considered.”

How the study was done

The researchers looked at the health records of over 1.8 lakh people aged 65 or older who were repeatedly prescribed paracetamol. They compared this group to another group of more than 4 lakh people who had not received the drug. The health outcomes of both groups were then analysed using data from the UK’s Clinical Practice Research Datalink-Gold between 1998 and 2018. The participants in the study had registered with a UK doctor for at least one year.

In a similar study published in The Lancet in 2016, paracetamol was also found to be ineffective for patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis. The study, which reviewed data from 76 trials, showed that paracetamol did not provide the level of pain relief needed for these patients.