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Serious Complications Seen With Acetaminophen Use in Seniors

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 17, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 17, 2024 -- In older adults, acetaminophen use is associated with serious complications, according to a study published online Nov. 24 in Arthritis Care & Research.

Jaspreet Kaur, M.P.H., Ph.D., from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined the safety of oral acetaminophen at its therapeutic dose in adults aged 65 years and older in a population-based cohort study. Acetaminophen exposure was defined as at least two prescriptions within six months of the first prescription (index date). Propensity scores (PS) were calculated for acetaminophen prescription, and inverse probability treatment weighting using PS and PS-matched analyses were undertaken to account for confounding.

The study included 180,483 and 402,478 acetaminophen users and nonusers, respectively. The researchers observed associations for acetaminophen use with increased risks for peptic ulcer bleeding, uncomplicated peptic ulcers, lower gastrointestinal bleeding, heart failure, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease (adjusted hazard ratios, 1.24, 1.20, 1.36, 1.09, 1.07, and 1.19, respectively).

"Despite its perceived safety, acetaminophen is associated with several serious complications," the authors write. "Given its minimal analgesic effectiveness, the use of acetaminophen as the first-line oral analgesic for long-term conditions in older people requires careful reconsideration."

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted December 2024

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