Paracetamol-Induced Hepatotoxicity

Abstract

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity is common in clinical settings, one of the commonly used drugs leading to liver injury is paracetamol. It is a commonly used analgesic and antipyretic drug. The toxicity of paracetamol has been described in accidental, iatrogenic, and intentional ingestion; also, the extent of liver injury varies from person to person depending on host factors, nutritional status, age, etc. The toxicity of paracetamol is not usually recognized by clinicians as initially, the symptoms are subtle. There is a specific antidote available for paracetamol-induced liver injury to prevent acute liver failure; however, it needs to be given time for proper action, therefore a strong clinical suspicion is to be taken when there is no proper history of ingestion.