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Paracetamol and asthma.
Gül Karakaya1, A Fuat Kalyoncu
1School of Medicine, Dept of Chest Diseases, Adult Allergy Unit, Hacettepe University, 06100 Sihhiye Ankara, Turkey.
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
|January 9, 2003
Summary
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is generally safe for most asthmatics, but may cause bronchospasm in some. Further research is needed on its consumption frequency and asthma prevalence.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is a common over-the-counter analgesic.
- Asthma patients may have two types of reactions to paracetamol: intolerance causing bronchospasm, and a link between consumption and asthma severity.
- Paracetamol is often considered safer than aspirin or NSAIDs for asthmatics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between paracetamol use and asthma.
- To evaluate paracetamol's safety in asthmatic patients, particularly those with analgesic intolerance.
- To investigate the potential association between paracetamol consumption patterns and asthma prevalence/severity.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on paracetamol and asthma.
- Analysis of reported cases of bronchospasm associated with paracetamol.
- Discussion of survey data suggesting a link between paracetamol consumption and asthma.
Main Results:
- Paracetamol is generally recommended for asthmatics, unlike aspirin and NSAIDs.
- A 20-30% cross-reactivity rate exists between paracetamol and aspirin in a dose-dependent manner.
- Oral provocation tests are recommended for analgesic-intolerant asthmatics before prescribing paracetamol.
Conclusions:
- Paracetamol is a relatively safe analgesic for most asthmatics.
- Caution is advised for analgesic-intolerant asthmatics due to potential cross-reactivity with aspirin.
- Further investigation is required to understand the association between paracetamol consumption and asthma prevalence.