Treatment of paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning with N-acetylcysteine

LF Prescott, A Ballantyne, AT Proudfoot, J Park… - The Lancet, 1977 - Elsevier
LF Prescott, A Ballantyne, AT Proudfoot, J Park, P Adriaenssens
The Lancet, 1977Elsevier
Fifteen patients with paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning were treated with intravenous
N-acetylcysteine (300 mg/kg given over 20 h). Mean admission and 4 h plasma-paracetamol
concentrations were 262 and 369 μg/ml, respectively. Liver-function tests remained normal
or were only slightly disturbed in 11 of 12 patients treated within 10 h of paracetamol
ingestion. Severe liver damage developed in the other patient and in the three in whom
treatment was started more than 10 h after paracetamol ingestion. In contrast to cysteamine …
Abstract
Fifteen patients with paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning were treated with intravenous N-acetylcysteine (300 mg/kg given over 20 h). Mean admission and 4 h plasma-paracetamol concentrations were 262 and 369 μg/ml, respectively. Liver-function tests remained normal or were only slightly disturbed in 11 of 12 patients treated within 10 h of paracetamol ingestion. Severe liver damage developed in the other patient and in the three in whom treatment was started more than 10 h after paracetamol ingestion. In contrast to cysteamine, N-acetylcysteine was very well tolerated and has the advantage of being available as a pharmaceutical preparation in a 20% sterile solution.
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