HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PANADOL?

Paracetamol

Acetaminophen

Panadol

Tylenol

So you’ve just had a hectic week with all the Christmas preparations. You are experiencing aching muscles and a headache and you go to a pharmacy and see all of the above products. Which product would you purchase to alleviate your pains or would you take a combo, one of each?

You most likely will make your decision based on memory or the product that comes to mind from an advertisement you saw and not on drug facts. Don’t you think it would have been nice to purchase such over the counter medicines based on an informed decision?

Well, this weekly medicine article will empower you to do so the next time you visit a pharmacy.

Firstly, let’s do a quick check among our friends and family to see how many persons can tell the difference(s) in the medicines above.

Four (4) out of five (5) persons may tell you that they are all different based on the marketing campaign of the product. They will most likely associate a certain type of pain with a specific medicine for example, some persons may say that Tylenol is good for arthritis and paracetamol is good for fever. Little do they realise that all of the above is the same and hence all have the same indication.

All medications are composed of active and inactive ingredients. The active ingredient is the drug which provides the desired therapeutic action and is referred to by the generic or scientific name within the medical community. So a doctor, pharmacist or nurse will be able to identify easily that paracetamol is synonymous with acetaminophen which is the active ingredient in recognised brands such as Tylenol and Panadol.

Hence all of the highlighted medicines above are all the same and are used for pain and as a fever reducer though the shape, size, colour and formulation (whether liquid or tablets).

INDICATIONS – Paracetamol is indicated for mild to moderate pain and fever. This NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory) is recommended for:

• Headaches

• Migraines

• Muscle ache

• Menstrual pain

• Pain due to osteoarthritis

• Toothaches

• Pain after dental procedures

• Fever

FORMULATIONS – This drug is presented in various formulations mainly tablets, caplets, oral suspension and also on a smaller scale suppositories which are inserted rectally (the latter is usually prescribed by a doctor and hence is not available over the counter).

Therefore some factors to consider prior to selection would be age, taste, cost, convenience and most importantly, the efficacy (effectiveness due to quality).

For example, tablets will be chosen for a mobile adult while suspension is more appropriate for children or sick elderly persons who may have trouble swallowing.

If the patient is vomiting, no oral meds would work hence the suppository dosage form (rectal inserts) may be considered by the doctor or pharmacist.

QUALITY – With regards to the quality, it is near to impossible for anyone without a quality control device to ascertain concentrations and dissolutions rates which translates into the effectiveness of the drug. It is expected that all medications are manufactured according to GMP (good manufacturing practises) standards. Generally, a good indicator for quality in medicines is usually the price where the branded products cost more than the generics.

So Panadol and Tylenol are more expensive than paracetamol or acetaminophen. However, it would be important to note also that there are substandard and counterfeit meds on the international market hence the Food and Drugs Department must maintain quality control checks on both branded and generics products. In a subsequent article we will discuss counterfeit meds.

STRENGTH – The usual strength is 500mg tablets for adults and very rarely 120mg dispersible tablets for children. The children’s formulation widely available is the oral suspension with the usual strength of 125mg in teaspoon (or 5ml).

QUESTION: Can you become overdosed with paracetamol?

The daily minimum recommended dosage for an adult is 4 tablets x 500mg and the maximum is double or 8 tablets within 24 hours (this is usually divided into 4 equal doses hence taken at 6 hourly intervals). For infants under 3 months old presenting with fever you MUST consult with the doctor. The dosage is calculated by body weight for children from three (3) months to 12 years and is printed on the labels as follows:

• 3 months – 1 year – 15mg – 30mg every 6 hours

• 1 year – 5 years – 30mg – 60mg every 6 hours

• 6 years – 12 years – 60mg – 120mg every 6 hours

Hence if you were to take dosages higher than that indicated above then you will be overdosed. Actually what is critical for everyone to know is that anyone can unconsciously be overdosed with paracetamol especially if you are taking more than one product.

Flu meds such as Theraflu, Contac, Dayquil and Nyquil are combination products which contain paracetamol and additional active ingredients for other symptoms. These are all readily available and marketed in Guyana. Apart from pharmacies where there is a registered pharmacist behind the counter to provide you with all the adequate information, you can find these products in supermarkets, service stations and even inappropriately stocked in grocery shops and some patent shops/liquor parlours. So if you have the flu and you take a combo of some or all of the above, as some uninformed persons do, then you will obviously become a statistic for over dosage.

It is worthy to note that for an alcoholic or a habitual drinker who may have already experienced some liver damage there is a higher risk for further injury due to over-dosage with paracetamol.

However, the liver can repair itself within a few weeks if an overdose is consumed. If a person consumes 20 -30 tablets in 24 hours there can be liver toxicity resulting in a range of delayed effects from vomiting to death. Since these medicines are so easily available to the consumers with no one providing cautionary advice at the time of purchase it is important that you know the necessary facts. The answer is to empower yourself so that you can make informed decisions in the best interest of your health.

If you have any queries, comments or further information on the above topic kindly forward them to medicine.express@gmail.com or send to 223 Camp Street, N/burg (between Lamaha and New Market Streets or call Tel # 225-5142.)