[Mhiz Rebecca]

Nigerians have been given a stern warning against
taking an overdose of paracetamol which has become
a trend among people.
Dr Arikawe Adeolu, a medical practitioner at the Federal
Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, has warned that an
overdose of paracetamol drug could cause liver failure
within 24 hours.
Adeolu gave the warning in an interview with the News
Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday. He said that
medications generally had side effects and that some
drugs, such as paracetamol, which were often abused,
could lead to liver damage.
Adeolu said, “One of the major causes of liver disease
is drugs. There are some kinds of drugs that can lead
to liver damage if not taken as prescribed.
“There is one common drug that is very popular among
this class of drugs and that is paracetamol.
Paracetamol if taken above the recommended dose
has the ability to damage the liver.
“An overdose of paracetamol can actually lead to liver
failure within 24 hours. This is why it is not
recommended that drugs are taken by self-medication
“Excessive consumption of alcohol is another cause of
liver disease. This substance has been shown to have
a significant effect on liver function; excessive
consumption of alcohol can lead to deterioration in
liver function.
“This is because it has direct damaging effect on the
liver cells. A fatty liver can also lead to liver damage.”
He explained that a fatty liver was the deposition of
fats into the liver, adding that this is usually caused by
obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and alcohol.
According to the expert, once there is a fatty liver,
there is ongoing damage to the liver, though one may
not feel any immediate symptoms.