Paracetamol (acetaminophen) taking doubles asthma risk for teenagers, study finds



I am pleased to see an admission towards the end of the article that there is no proof that paracetamol CAUSES asthma. The association reported is in fact completely unsurprising. Once again you have to ask WHY people do things. People who take more painkillers would almost certainly be in poorer health and it is the poorer health that leads to asthma, not the painkillers

There is however no doubt that paracetamol is much more dangerous than is generally realized. It can destroy your liver in some cicumstances. The side-effects of aspirin are much more manageable yet it is paracetamol that is in fashion and aspirin is "out"


Teenagers could double their risk of developing asthma by taking paracetamol even once a month. Adolescents who use the painkiller at least once a year have a 50 per cent increase in risk compared with those who don’t, a study found.

The international report, covering 300,000 teenagers in 50 countries, also found paracetamol users were more likely to suffer from eczema and allergic nasal conditions.


Charity Asthma UK, however, said while the research had found a link, there was no need for parents to stop their children using the drug at this stage.

Scientists believe paracetamol may cause changes in the body that leave children more vulnerable to inflammation and allergies.

The study adds to mounting evidence of a link between the painkiller and asthma, with previous research into adults and babies suggesting its use increased the risk of the disease.

A report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine says paracetamol has not been proven to cause asthma, but there was a ‘significant association’. More exposure to the drug resulted in a greater chance of developing the condition.

The study headed by Dr Richard Beasley, of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, sent written and video questionnaires to more than 300,000 children aged 13 and 14 asking them how often they used paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen. High use was at least once in the last month and medium at least once in the last year, compared with those who never used it.

Those using the drug monthly had double the risk of asthma, while those taking it at least once a year had a 50 per cent rise in risk. For medium users, the risk of eczema was 43 per cent higher than non-users while high users were two-and-a-half times more likely to suffer skin rashes. There were similarly higher risks of allergic nasal disorders among users.

Dr Beasley said if further research proved a link, limiting the use of paracetamol among teenagers could cut asthma cases by up to 40 per cent. He said ‘If the associations were causal, they would be of major public health significance.

‘Randomised controlled trials are urgently required to investigate this relationship further and to guide the use of antipyretics (fever reducing medication), not only in children but in pregnancy and adult life.’

One issue is that alternative painkillers such as ibuprofen and aspirin can cause problems for those with existing asthma. However, a review of new findings on ibuprofen found it provided faster and longer relief from headaches than paracetamol, and was as effective or more so than paracetamol in adults and children.

Leanne Metcalf, director of research at Asthma UK, said there was a long way to go before it could be determined that acetaminophen actually causes asthma. She added: ‘The results could be merely coincidental and it is just as likely that these teenagers are taking acetaminophen because their immune system is weaker, making them more susceptible to infections that trigger asthma.

‘At this stage, taking acetaminophen,or paracetamol for that matter, should not be a concern for parents or carers who are worried about the development of asthma in their children.’

SOURCE

1 comment:

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