Agency Report
Dr Arikawe Adeolu, a medical practitioner at the
Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, has warned that an overdose of paracetamol
drug could cause liver failure within 24 hours.
Adeolu gave the warning in an interview with the
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
He said that medications generally had side
effects and that some drugs, such as paracetamol, which were often abused,
could lead to liver damage.
“One of the major causes of liver disease is
drugs. There are some kinds of drugs that can lead to liver damage if not taken
as prescribed.
“There is one common drug that is very popular
among this class of drugs and that is paracetamol. Paracetamol if taken above
the recommended dose has the ability to damage the liver.
“An overdose of paracetamol can actually lead to
liver failure within 24 hours. This is why it is not recommended that drugs are
taken by self-medication.
“Excessive consumption of alcohol is another cause
of liver disease. This substance has been shown to have a significant effect on
liver function; excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to deterioration in
liver function.
“This is because it has direct damaging effect on
the liver cells. A fatty liver can also lead to liver damage,” Adeolu said.
He explained that a fatty liver was the deposition
of fats into the liver, adding that this is usually caused by obesity, high
cholesterol, diabetes and alcohol.
According to the expert, once there is a fatty
liver, there is ongoing damage to the liver, though one may not feel any
immediate symptoms.
He, however, noted that there were specific and
non-specific symptoms of liver disease.
“Non-specific symptoms are nausea, vomiting and
loss of appetite, while the specific symptoms are jaundice, abdominal swelling,
pain, itching and dark coloration of urine,’’ said the expert.
He said that the faeces of individuals with the
disease may appear pale rather than the normal brownish colour.
The expert advised that to prevent liver disease
it was important for individuals to always undergo routine medical check-up for
early detection and treatment.
He advised against taking drugs without prescription,
stating that Over-The-Counter (OTC) drugs could be dangerous to the overall
health and wellbeing of an individual.
“If you feel unwell, go to a certified medical
centre and run a diagnostic test to determine what the problem is.
“Even if you hardly fall sick, always ensure you
do a routine check-up to rule out any possibility of underlying diseases,” he said.
