newjersey

paracetamol and aspirin for that matter destroy platelets and can interfere with blood clotting. Frequent headaches, or muscle pains that just would not go away are better discussed with the GP, downing pills like that is not an answer.

Dorothy

Sorry, but I'm sitting here reading the MIMS and nowhere do I see paracetamol being an antiplatelet agent. Anticoagulation therapy with warfarin may need to be adjusted if taking paracetamol, but in itself panadol (paracetamol) is not an antiplatelet.

Cut and paste job from MIMS online
Panadol

Company GlaxoSmithKline Consumer

MIMS Class: Simple analgesics and antipyretics - Analgesia

ARTG Registered medicine

MIMS revision date: 01 May 2003

Composition Paracetamol.
Excipients Contains no sugar (except Soluble), lactose or wheat starch.
Panadol Soluble. Each tablet contains sodium 425.5 mg.

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Actions Analgesic and antipyretic.
Pharmacology Paracetamol is a p-aminophenol derivative that exhibits analgesic and antipyretic activity. It does not possess anti-inflammatory activity. It is given by mouth or rectally (suppositories) for mild to moderate pain and fever.
Pharmacokinetics After oral administration, paracetamol is absorbed rapidly and completely from the gastrointestinal tract; peak plasma levels occur 10 to 60 minutes after administration.
Paracetamol is uniformly distributed throughout most body fluids; the apparent volume of distribution is 1 to 1.2 L/kg. Paracetamol can cross the placenta and is excreted in breast milk. Plasma protein binding is negligible at usual therapeutic concentrations but increases with increasing concentrations.
Paracetamol is metabolised by the hepatic microsomal enzyme system. In adults at therapeutic doses, paracetamol is mainly conjugated with glucuronide (45 to 55%) or sulfate (20 to 30%). A minor proportion (less than 20%) is metabolised to catechol derivatives and mercapturic acid compounds via oxidation. Paracetamol is metabolised differently by infants and children compared to adults, the sulfate conjugate being predominant. Paracetamol is excreted in the urine mainly as the glucuronide and sulfate conjugates. Less than 5% is excreted as unchanged paracetamol with 85 to 90% of the administered dose eliminated in the urine within 24 hours of ingestion. The elimination half-life varies from one to three hours. Food intake delays paracetamol absorption.

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Indications Fast effective temporary relief of pain and discomfort associated with headache, muscular aches, period pain, arthritis, toothache, migraine, cold and flu, tension headache and sinus pain/ headache. Reduces fever.

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Precautions Panadol Soluble and Panadol Rapid should be used with caution if restricted salt intake is indicated.
Impaired renal function Panadol should be administered with caution to patients with renal dysfunction.
Impaired hepatic function Panadol should be administered with caution to patients with hepatic dysfunction.
Use in pregnancy (Category A)
Use in lactation Paracetamol is excreted in breast milk. The amount available for ingestion by the infant has been reported variously as less than 0.1% of a single dose of paracetamol 500 mg, and as 0.04 to 0.23% of a single 650 mg dose. Maternal ingestion of paracetamol in usual analgesic doses does not appear to present a risk to the breastfed infant.
Use in children As directed on the pack.

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Interactions Anticoagulant dosage may require reduction if Panadol medication is prolonged.Paracetamol absorption is increased by drugs which increase gastric emptying, e.g. metoclopramide, and decreased by drugs which decrease gastric emptying, e.g. propantheline, antidepressants with anticholinergic properties, narcotic analgesics. Paracetamol may increase chloramphenicol concentrations. The likelihood of paracetamol toxicity may be increased by the concomitant use of enzyme inducing agents such as alcohol or anticonvulsant drugs.

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Adverse Reactions Reports of adverse reactions are rare. Although the following reactions have been reported, a causal relationship to the administration of paracetamol has been neither confirmed nor refuted: dyspepsia, nausea, allergic and haematological reactions.

newjersey

Dorothy,
I have been in and out of hematology clinic for two years, and taking it under their authority. They disallow paracetamol and aspirin to many patients (myself included, even when clotting issues is so far down the list for my diagnosis and only when specific chemo agents are used) saying both screw with the clotting in a big way. PerHaps platelet destruction I mentioned was a bit of a leap of faith on my part, so sorry for a bit of confusion there.