The condition where the liver function has rapidly deteriorated is called acute liver failure. This condition occurs even in young people or people who have not suffered a pre-existing liver disease. This condition can lead to some serious complications, including excessive bleeding and increase in the pressure in the brain.
The most common cause is an overdose of one common medication which might be in your home right now.
Acetaminophen and Acute Liver Failure
The statistics show that acetaminophen is the cause of over 2,600 hospitalizations, 56,000 visits to the emergency room, and around 460 dєαтн per year. This ingredient is included in many over-the counter drugs, like Tylenol, NyQuil, Excedrin, and Theraflu.
Taking acetaminophen, even in small amounts, over a longer period of time can harm your body. Most reported acetaminophen overdoses have occurred when people were using several acetaminophen drugs at a time, such as taking a cold medicine and a painkiller at the same time.
Acetaminophen is toxic to the liver, and, as shown in a study published in the Journal of American Medical Association, even if you take acetaminophen as directed, it can still damage your liver. This study included 145 healthy participants divided in three groups. The people in the first group were given acetaminophen/opioid combination; the people in the second group were given only acetaminophen, and the people from the last group were given a placebo.
The participants received only the recommended dose of acetaminophen. The study lasted for 2 weeks, and the results showed that the levels of an important liver enzyme in the participants from the two groups who received acetaminophen was significantly increased – from 31 to 44%. This suggested that acetaminophen was indeed damaging their liver.
This ingredient depletes the body of the antioxidant glutathione. If depleted too quickly, the liver can be stressed so much that it can lead to acute liver failure. Patients with acetaminophen poisoning receive an IV or glutathione shot when treated in an emergency room, in order to protect the liver.
The Scary Truth
Nowadays, acetaminophen is seen as one of the most dangerous drugs on the market. However, it is even more concerning that it is present in most households at any time. There are more than 100,000 calls to Poison Control Centers every year across the United States caused by acetaminophen.
The researchers explain that the use of this medication in combination with alcohol increases the risks, like taking Tylenol for a hangover, or a headache pill before drinking. This combination has been proven to be dangerous and to increase the chances of kidney damage by 123 percent.
The margin between a ‘safe’ and possibly ℓєтнαℓ dose of acetaminophen is extremely small. As PBS News informs, taking acetaminophen for several days, as little as 25 percent above the maximum daily dose, or only two additional extra strength pills a day, can damage the liver.
We all know that prescription and over-the-counter drugs usually come with dangerous side effects. What’s more concerning however, is that most households contain one of the most dangerous drugs on the market.
Drugs which include this dangerous ingredient are consumed by millions each day, as they are intended for various purposes, like treating headaches, joint and muscle pain, back pain, cold and flu, etc.
Now that you know that acetaminophen overdose is the most common reason for acute liver failure in America, you might start considering more natural approaches to healing.
Source: healthandlovepage.com
