Common Painkiller Linked to Increasedโค Kidney Disease Risk in Seniors, New Study Finds
PARIS,โ FRANCE – A comprehensive 20-year study โฃhas revealedโ a potential link betweenโข regular paracetamol (acetaminophen) use andโ an increased risk of chronic kidney disease, notablyโ among individuals aged 65 and older. The findings, published in Arthritis โCare โค& Research, challenge the widely held perception ofโฃ paracetamol as a completely safe and well-tolerated painโค reliever.
Researchers analyzed healthโ data from over 180,000 regular paracetamol users and compared them to more than 400,000 non-users, tracking outcomes from 1998 to 2018. The study identified aโค roughly 20% increase in the โrisk of developing chronic kidney disease in seniors who chronically took theโ analgesic, with โขa clear “dose-response”โข relationship – higher and more frequent consumption correlated with greater risk.โ
Beyond kidney concerns, the research also indicated increased โคrisks of perforation, ulceration, or bleeding; โคpepticโค ulcers; gastrointestinal bleeding; heart failure; and hypertension in those regularly taking paracetamol.
“Despite its apparentโข safety, paracetamol is โassociated with several serious complications,”โข the โฃscientists stated.
Paracetamol is one of the most widely โฃused medications globally, with over 415 million โฃboxes delivered toโ 43โค million patientsโฃ in a single year.Franceโค is currently the largest consumer of paracetamol in Europe, according to Statista. Common brand names include Dolipraneยฉ, Dafalganยฉ, and Efferalganยฉ.
The study’s โขauthors emphasize the need to “carefully re-evaluate” the use of oral paracetamol as a first-line โขtreatment for chronic conditions in โคthe โelderly.
The Frenchโข National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) reiterates the importance of adhering to recommended usage guidelines:โ taking the lowest effective dose for the shortest โฃduration,โ maintaining at least a 4-6 hour interval betweenโฃ doses, and never exceeding the โmaximum recommended daily doseโค (generally 3 grams for adults without pre-existing conditions). The ANSM advises consulting a doctor or pharmacist, especially for prolonged โขtreatment.