Via practica 4/2020

Paracetamol: looking for an optimal dose

Analgesics are among the most commonly used drug classes. Each of them has its specific features, advantages as well as weaknesses in terms of possible adverse effects or drug interactions. In order to achieve the therapeutic response required, it is essential to choose the correct therapeutic dose. This also applies to paracetamol, a non-opioid analgesic. The present text places this agent into a historical context as well as highlights the situation in the Czech Republic in terms of its use – the preferences regarding the dose, risks of underdose, overdose, etc.

Keywords: paracetamol, acetaminophen, pain, fever, antipyretics, underdose, overdose