The Medical Association warned today that the deliberate ingestion of high doses of paracetamol, which is being promoted on social media, constitutes a serious and potentially fatal risk.
O “paracetamol challenge” It is a phenomenon that has been observed in several European countries, such as Germany, Belgium, Spain, France and Switzerland.
At issue is a kind of competition between young people in which it is encouraged to deliberately taking high doses of this drug to find out who can last longer without going to the hospital.
One of the biggest risks highlighted by experts is the absence of immediate symptoms.
In a statement, the College of Clinical Pharmacology and the College of Pediatrics of the Medical Association (OM) explain that, although paracetamol is safe in therapeutic doses, overdose can lead to liver failure, the need for intensive care and, in extreme cases, liver transplantation.
Paracetamol is one of the most used medicines to treat pain and fever symptoms, due to its analgesic and antipyretic action and, when administered according to recommendations, it has a favorable safety profile.
The greatest risk associated with its use, however, is the ingestion of doses higher than those recommended, which, in extreme cases, can lead to death.
In less frequent cases, kidney damage may also occur, mainly associated with prolonged use and/or excessive ingestion, says the statement.
“In the first hours, and even on the first day, there may be no relevant symptoms. However, this apparent normality is misleading and leads to dangerous delays in treatment“, warns the Order.
Given the seriousness of the challenge, OM directly appeals to digital platforms, schools and authorities to identify and remove this content.
Ask also to parents to reinforce safety literacy of medicines among young people.
In case of suspicion of excessive ingestion, doctors recommend not to wait for symptoms to appear and to immediately contact the CIAV Poison Information Center – 800 250 250 – or the 112.
Initial symptoms include nausea, vomiting, sweating, malaise and lethargy. As liver damage progresses, abdominal pain may develop, progressing to serious complications.
The OM says that the SUS Executive Board and the Local Health Units (ULS) have already been alerted to the need for readiness in responding to these clinical conditions.
The Order of Pharmacists (OF) also warned that content circulating on social media challenging young people to take high doses of paracetamol constitutes a “serious health risk”.
The OF emphasized that paracetamol toxicity can manifest itself even before clinical symptoms appear, so “a preventative and informed approach among this population is imperative.”
‼️Alert in Malaga due to the increase in income of minors due to the ‘paracetamol challenge’: “It is never a game”
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