Arthritis Care Res

Acetaminophen linked to serious adverse effects in older adults

November 28, 2024

Study design: This prospective cohort study utilized data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) to examine the incidence of adverse events associated with acetaminophen use in adults ≥65 years of age. The study included 180,483 acetaminophen users and 402,478 non-users, with data collected from UK general practices between 1998 and 2018. Propensity score matching and inverse probability treatment weighting were used to adjust for confounding factors.

Results: Acetaminophen use was associated with increased risks peptic ulcer bleeding (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.24), uncomplicated peptic ulcers (aHR, 1.20), lower GI bleeding (aHR 1.36), heart failure (aHR 1.09), hypertension (aHR 1.07), and CKD (aHR 1.19).

Impact on clinical practice: Given the significant risks identified, authors suggest reconsidering the use of acetaminophen as a first-line analgesic for long-term conditions in older adults.

Source:

Kaur J, et al. (2024, November 24). Arthritis Care Res. Incidence of side effects associated with acetaminophen in people aged 65 years or more: a prospective cohort study using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39582150/