What does overusing paracetamol do to your body?

A recent study conducted in the U.K. found that paracetamol, a common, over-the-counter medication can have serious stomach, heart and kidney complications in senior citizens who take it repeatedly. Constant use of paracetamol was linked to a 24% risk of peptic ulcer bleeding, a 19% risk of chronic kidney disease and a 9% risk of heart failure.

This is not the first time the overuse of paracetamol has been linked with adverse health effects but it continues to be a medication that is commonly bought and often used without strict consideration given to the dosage that is being consumed.

What does paracetamol do to your body over the long term? How can you use it appropriately? Are drugs in India being used rationally or are they over prescribed and over consumed? What does over consumption do to the human body?

Guest: Dr Sangeeta Sharma, professor at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences and honorary president, Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs

Host: Zubeda Hamid

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

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