Has anyone ever died from everyday painkillers? (addiction) And how many people !


Question: Has anyone ever died from everyday painkillers? (addiction) And how many people would it be?
You know like Paracetamol, Ibuprofen or whatever they're called. I'm not talking about people who take a huge overdose on purpose in order to commit suicide. I mean people who are actually addicted to the "drugs" if such an addiction even exists.

Answers:

Absolutely! The number one cause of non-cardiac emergency room visits in Europe, is overdose of over the counter drugs, most commonly paracetamol. NSAID's (Non-steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs, aka common pain killers) such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen (paracetamol), or aspirin are metabolized in the liver andirreversibly inhibit enzymes of the liver.
The median lethal dose of paracetamol is 8 grams (approx. 8 tablets taken at once). The maximum recommended dose is 1g, although a normal dose should be 500 mg (1 tablet).
Another possible cause of death of NSAID's is that they can cause ulcering of the stomach, and eventually through long term use can cause major bleeding, possibly even enough to cause anemia, and subsequent death.
NSAID's are certainly abused, and it is possible to be addicted to them. Like with any other addictive drug, the body eventually becomes accustomed to having the drug in it's system, and becomes "dependent" on it- i.e. chemical dependency. Another possible cause is the rewarding feeling it produces as it rids the body of pain (although NSAID's usually have no effect on mental function, as they are not narcotic).

In summary: NSAID's can be very easily overdosed on, and long-term use is also extremely dangerous. Using the recommended dose, or a dose prescribed by a doctor is absolutely crucial!

I am an intern in an EU hospital.



I have taken all three, not together of course, since I was in my early 30's(I am 58 now) for arthritis pain and I have never been addicted. In fact, when the pain is real bad, I stop taking them and use Celebrex but my doctor does not want me to use that all the time due to heart issues with it. I would prefer Celebrex as it works better.
I also do not take as much on my days off from work because I don't need it as much. Never had any "need" to take it that bothered me.
I don't believe there is such a thing as addiction to ANY over the counter pain medication.
Now, the ibuprofen and aspirin can cause issues with bleeding and if anyone has ever died as a direct result of bleeding due to those 2 drugs, I don't know.
Ibuprofen and aspirin are a class of drug called an NSAID which means a "non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug". Tylenol or what you call Paracetamol is a different class of drug and can cause liver damage, even in recommended dosages, for some people who already have liver issues or may be alcoholic or otherwise liver compromised.



yes people die from overdoses on every day tabs. and they can get addicted to them. If they overdose and don't die , they can get irreversable damage to their liver.

EDIT
Yes people CAN become addicted to over the counter drugs, just like prescription drugs and illegal drugs you can physically or phycologically become addicted.
Just as ypu can get addicted to all sorts of things,gambling, food,drink,chocolate, exercise.etc.
GOOGLE it and you will see I AM RIGHT



These drugs do not cause addiction. However, one of the biggest side effects of them is that they can cause stomach ulcers, which may cause death due to bleeding. Whilst there are many cases of this, think of how many people take them every day. The risk is very small. However, Ibuprofen should not be taken for long periods of time, especially in the elderly. Paracetamol tends to cause fewer side effects.




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