Discuss the risk vs. benefits with your primary care provider
By University of Nottingham
The study, published recently in the medical journal Arthritis
Care and Research, highlights the need for caution when prescribing
acetaminophen for chronic pain conditions like osteoarthritis in older adults.
The research team was led by Professor Weiya Zhang from the
NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in the University of Nottingham’s School of
Medicine.
“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,” Professor Zhang explained.
Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is a widely used over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer. Common brand names include Tylenol, Panadol, and Mapap. It is often recommended for mild to moderate pain such as headaches, muscle aches, and arthritis, as well as for reducing fever.
The study analyzed 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 acetaminophen 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 acetaminophen 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.”
Reference: “Incidence of side effects associated with
acetaminophen in people aged 65 years or more: a prospective cohort study using
data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink” by Jaspreet Kaur, Georgina
Nakafero, Abhishek Abhishek, Christen Mallen, Michael Doherty and Weiya Zhang,
24 November 2024, Arthritis Care & Research.
DOI:
10.1002/acr.25471
