Paracetamol overdose- 6 ways how it damages your body

Paracetamol toxicity is one of the most common causes of poisoning worldwide & it is involved in a large proportion of accidental paediatric exposures and deliberate self-poisoning cases. Sometimes when the fever is not settling, mothers continue to give paracetamol, regardless of safe dose.

They may give higher doses or may give more frequently. This ultimately leads to a paracetamol poisoning in your child & you can even loose your child. So it is important to know how this overdose harm your body.

1. Your liver begins die. (Hepatic necrosis) This happens usually after 24 hours of overdose & can progress to a completely failure of liver. (Acute liver failure)

2. Your brain can get damaged- Encephalopathy

3. Your kidneys will die. You will experince reduction in urine output. (Acute renal failure)

4. Your blood sugar level can go down than normal. (hypoglycemia) Body organs won’t get enough nutrients for them to work.

5. Your body fluid composition will alter & that will be acidic. (lactic acidosis). Cells will not be able to work as in a normal condition.

Dr. Yapa Wijeratne

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Dr Rikaz Sheriff

MBBS PGCert MSc
Director, Western Hospital

Rikaz Sheriff is responsible for all aspects of innovation and strategy of health informatics solutions of LankaDoctor. Rikaz joined UniverSL Software after working for 5 years as a Senior Medical Officer at Western Hospital where he leads the business development unit with responsibility for marketing strategy, brand management, advertising, and consumer promotions.

He also serves as the chief coordinator for their kidney transplant programme. Rikaz is a life member of the Sri Lanka Medical Association and the Health Informatics Society of Sri Lanka. Rikaz holds a MBBS degree from Baqai University (Pakistan) and a Master's degree in Biomedical Informatics from the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo. He also works as the Provincial Health Informatician for the Department of Health Services, Western Province.

Dr. Yapa Wijeratne
MBBS University of Perdeniya.
Medical Officer, Mawanella Hospital.

Yapa entered Faculty of Medicine in 2008, following a successful career at the Dharmaraja College, Kandy. While continuing his undergraduate career, he joined UniverSL Software. He completed his MBBS degree from University of Peradeniya & worked as a Temporary lecturer at Department of Basic sciences, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya. After completing his internship, he is still working at Teaching Hospital Peradeniya.