| Risk of staggered paracetamol overdose |
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A 20 year old woman, Desiree Philips, died following a staggered dose of paracetamol. She was prescribed over the counter paracetamol by a doctor to cope with pain following a minor operation. She took a few paracetamol pills over the recommended dose every day until she was rushed to hospital with liver failure just nine days after the operation. She received a liver transplant but died a week later. Paracetamol overdose is the main cause of acute liver failure in the UK. A study published recently in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that patients admitted to hospital with staggered overdoses were more likely to die than those taking acute overdoses, even though they had generally received lower doses overall. This is probably because those taking acute overdoses present quickly for treatment whereas those taking staggered overdoses have already done substantial damage to their bodies before they can receive treatment in hospital. The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/8957363/Paracetamol-kills-mother-who-took-a-few-extra-pills-a-day.html British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (Journal paper): http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2125.2011.04067.x/abstract |