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How to take Paracetamol

Max. D Gray
By Max. D Gray. Updated: January 16, 2017
How to take Paracetamol
Image: engenerico.com

Paracetamol is an analgesic and antipiretic used to relieve moderate pain that causes diseases such as arthritis or osteoarthritis headache or dental or musculoskeletal pains. It is also very effective to reduce fever and relieve menstrual pain. The drug can be taken in various forms, but the most commonly used and prescribed tablets are 650 mg or 1 g, and 1 g effervescent sachets. It is very important to know the ways of use since taking more than advised can seriously affect our liver. Therefore, in this OneHowTo article we tell you how to take Paracetamol tablets of 650 mg and 1 g effervescent granules 1 g.

Steps to follow:
1

To take Paracetamol in effervescent granules of 1 g you must dissolve the contents of the sachet in a glass of water and drink it when the effervescence ceases. Children under 15 can not take this drug unless a doctor deems it necessary. In adults, the maximum dose is 4 g daily (four sachets), and you must take these about every 4-6 hours. You can not double the dose or take this in a shorter time interval.

2

To take 1 g paracetamol tablets you can swallow these whole or cut it in half as a half dose, and with a glass of water to help swallow it better. In adults and children over 15 years it is advisable to take three tablets a day, one every four hours; four is the maximum allowed, unless the doctor tells you otherwise. Thus, the maximum dose is 4 g per day divided in four doses separated by a minimum of 4 hours. You can not double the dose.

3

If taking Paracetamol 650 mg tablets you must know that you can not chew these, you must swallow the tablets whole with a drink of water, you can also split them in half. Depending on the intensity of pain, you can take a half tablet (325 mg) to one (650 mg) every 4-6 hours. The maximum daily amount that can be taken by an adult is 4 g (six tablets). Make sure you know if you can combine this medicine with other drugs such as Aspirin or Ibuprofen.

4

Children 6 to 11 years may not exceed two and a half tablets of Paracetamol 650 mg per day, and this must be taken as half a tablet every 4-6 hours, not double the dose. Children over 12 can take one tablet every 4-6 hours but not more than five a day.

5

Chronic alcoholics can only take a maximum of 2 g of Paracetamol daily (two sachets of 1g, two tablets of 1g or three 650mg tablets). And patients with severe renal impairment should take doses with a gap of time between doses of 8 hours at least.

6

Before taking Paracetamol consult your doctor so he or she can tell you whether you can take it or not and what the exact dose you should have is. In case of overdose, immediately go to the nearest medical centre. Remember not to double the dose of the medication, if you forget a dose take the next as accorded.

Find out how to take ibuprofen in this OneHowTo.com article.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to How to take Paracetamol, we recommend you visit our Drugs & supplements category.

Tips
  • Remember that children under 15 can not take Paracetamol 1g, unless your doctor says to do so.

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How to take Paracetamol
Image: engenerico.com
How to take Paracetamol

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