PMID: 11319582Apr 25, 2001Paper

Paracetamol: past, present, and future

American Journal of Therapeutics
L F Prescott

Abstract

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is one of the most widely used of all drugs, with a wealth of experience clearly establishing it as the standard antipyretic and analgesic for mild to moderate pain states. First used clinically by von Mering in 1893, paracetamol did not appear commercially until 1950 in the United States and 1956 in Australia. During the 1960s and 1970s, increasing concern was raised about the toxicity of nonprescription analgesics, but in normal use paracetamol exhibited a consistent safety profile. Its exemplary safety record was marred by the discovery in 1966 that a major overdose could be complicated by severe and sometimes fatal liver damage. Fortunately, early treatment with N-acetylcysteine prevents liver toxicity. A turning point in the choice of pediatric analgesic came in the 1980s when aspirin was linked to Reye's syndrome. As a consequence, paracetamol became the mainstay analgesic and antipyretic for children with a subsequent reduction in the incidence of Reye's syndrome. Currently, paracetamol is a first-line choice for pain management and antipyresis in a variety of patients, including children, pregnant women, the elderly, those with osteoarthritis, simple headaches, and those with noninflammatory ...Continue Reading

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