Most of us take paracetamol for a variety of minor ailments including headache, tooth pain or to reduce a temperature.
But if taken incorrectly, the drug is capable of causing us serious harm – including liver failure.
And one form of paracetamol – acetaminophen – has been dubbed America’s ‘most dangerous over-the-counter drug’, by a US medical expert.
Speaking to ABC news, Professor John Brems, of Loyola University in Chicago, said there were cases where the painkiller, also known as Tylenol, had been linked to liver failure.
While these cases are unsettling, it is essential to note three key factors:
1) It does not apply to all forms of paracetamol, just Tylenol
2) Many of the patients involved took the drug in addition to alcohol
3) The poisoning occurred after a prolonged period of over consumption of the drug.
