Alcohol and paracetamol

Abstract

There are concerns that therapeutic doses of paracetamol may be hepatotoxic in patients who regularly drink moderate to large amounts of alcohol. Critical examination of case histories reveals that overdoses of paracetamol were responsible for the hepatotoxicity in many cases. Experimental studies in which paracetamol was taken for short periods also show no interaction. Paracetamol is therefore a suitable analgesic for patients who regularly drink moderate to large amounts of alcohol but, as with all patients, care should be taken to minimise the chances of overdose.