Paracetamol and alcohol: compatibility and effects of the reception

The most common drug that people take in the period of colds is paracetamol. This tool quickly lowers the temperature, reduces pain and gently relieves inflammation in the upper respiratory tract. But we should not forget that even such seemingly safe drugs have some contraindications. For example, paracetamol and alcohol when co-administered lead to very serious health problems.

General characteristics of the drug

Pharmaceutical companies produce drugs paracetamol in different forms, which are designed for children and adults. Adults usually prescribe the drug in tablets, capsules, and injections, and children prescribed syrup, or rectal suppositories. The drug is very rapidly absorbed by the walls of the stomach, metabolized by the liver and excreted in the urine. Therapeutic effect is noticeable in an hour and lasts up to six hours. The drug is well-regulated thermoregulation, quickly lowers the temperature and eliminates pain symptoms. Paracetamol is prescribed at a high temperature, dental pain, neurological pain, ear pain and periodic discomfort in women. This drug should be in every home medicine Cabinet, but it can not be abused.

Contraindications

Paracetamol is contraindicated to receive the groups of patients with certain diseases:

• With insufficiency of the liver and kidneys.
• The Gilbert's Syndrome.
• Viral hepatitis.

In addition, the drug is prescribed with caution in women during pregnancy and lactation.

It should be noted that paracetamol with alcohol can not be accepted! The drug is metabolized in the liver, and the alcohol body has to work with the increased load, which may cause intoxication.

Side effects

Paracetamol has number of side effects that can occur in drug overdose or used in conjunction with alcoholic beverages. Can be such an undesirable state:

• allergic reactions, which may manifest as skin rash and angioedema;
• severe pain in the gastrointestinal tract;
• a persistent decrease in hemoglobin levels in the blood;
• sleep disturbance;
• insufficiency of the liver and kidneys.

Side effects are more common in young children and people with weakened immune systems, as well as in people with alcohol dependence.

Compatible alcoholic drinks with acetaminophen

Not all annotations have info about whether it is possible to mix paracetamol with alcohol. Also, do not indicate how long after drinking alcohol can begin taking your medication.

A large part of the drugs compatible with alcohol. People who often drink alcohol or have alcohol dependence often face side effects and complications from taking paracetamol in conjunction with alcohol.

Abstract paracetamol foreign production contains a more detailed description. It stipulates that the permanent use of at least three doses of alcohol is a contraindication to receiving acetaminophen. Three doses – it's not so much. Dangerous dose of vodka is about 150 ml, of beer – about 1 liter, wine – about 450 ml.

Paracetamol can be bought in any drugstore without a prescription. But this does not mean that the drug can be taken without any control or without a prescription. In the treatment we must remember that alcohol and paracetamol are not compatible. Overdose or intake together with alcohol-based drinks causes damage to liver cells.

When possible paracetamol poisoning

To serious consequences to human health can result in a situation listed below:

• People drink in small doses, but regularly. In this case, the protective functions of the liver are depleted and effort for processing the medication anymore. As a result, paracetamol is oxidized, the formation of aggressive metabolites, which lead to the necrosis of liver cells. It most often develops hepatitis;
• If people drank alcohol-containing drink at the same time took a higher dose of paracetamol. High dose is the ingestion of two tablets of 0.5 grams. A lethal dose may be 5 grams of the drug per day.

Medicinal drugs together with alcohol take mentally unstable people attempting suicide. If there is one person in the family, all medications should be hidden in inaccessible place!

The symptoms of paracetamol poisoning with alcohol

Signs that a person has a toxicity after simultaneous administration of paracetamol and alcohol-containing beverages, are severe nausea and vomiting, loss of coordination, headache, yellowing of the skin and the eye sclera. Symptoms may vary depending on a person's weight and dose of medication and alcohol he took. In severe cases there may be respiratory failure and the confluence of the patient in a coma.

First aid if poisoning with paracetamol with alcohol

If the poisoning is still the place, that person shall immediately render assistance. You need to remember that the speed of first aid depends on the life and healthvictim:

• At the first signs of poisoning call the ambulance. Very often without the help of doctors to do the impossible, especially if the dose of the drug significantly exceeded and was accepted with alcohol.
• If the person is conscious, he carefully washed stomach a large volume of water. For best effect you can add a bit of salt. The procedure is repeated until the time of rinse water are clean. Usually it takes at least 3 liters of water.
• The victim lay in bed, warm Harbor and await the arrival of the doctor. If a person fainting, it is possible to allow to smell the cotton wool and slightly lubricate the whiskey.

The arrived doctors must show the packaging of medicine, which was accepted by the patient and reported when the alcohol consumed.

Treatment in a hospital

When a serious condition of the victim hospitalitynet. The algorithm is the standard for these types of toxicity. Includes forced diuresis, infusion of glucose solution and, if necessary, the use of the antidote to paracetamol. The antidote to this drug is acetylcysteine, which is sold in pharmacies under the famous name of ass (cough medicine).

Supportive therapy, which aims to restore the normal function of the liver, kidneys and cardiovascular system.

How to prevent poisoning acetaminophen and alcohol

There are a few recommendations that will help prevent serious consequences from taking paracetamol with alcohol:

• If the person is accepted paracetamol, alcoholic drinks can be consumed not earlier than after 5 hours. During this time the drug is almost completely excreted from the body.
• If people drank alcoholic drink, and urgently needed to pain relief, then take the minimum dose of drug is 500 mg. But there is one caveat, the gap between alcohol and medicine should not be less than 2 hours and to drink alcohol in this day any longer.
• If a person has an alcohol addiction, you should take the lowest dose of paracetamol. The usual therapeutic dose for adults is 500 mg at a time and not more than 2 grams of the drug per day.

Paracetamol is an indispensable remedy in many diseases. It is not harmful if taken in prescribed dosage. In appointing the drug should be considered contraindicated and do not take it together with alcohol.