Paracetamol & aspirin ODs

Question 1

What is another name for aspirin?

Answer 1

Salicylate

Question 2

How can an aspirin OD present?

Answer 2

Tinnitus

SOB

Fatigue

Dizziness

Question 3

What do you look for on an ABG for an aspirin OD?

Answer 3

Metabolic acidosis

Resp. alkalosis

Question 4

Someone presenting with an asprin OD can complain of hearing issues, what is the likley cause of this?

Answer 4

tinnitus

Question 5

What mg/L result for aspirin levels in blood indicates a severe OD?

Answer 5

>700

Question 6

How is an aspirin OD treated?

Answer 6

IV fluids

Sodium bicarbonate

Question 7

An aspirin OD may result in the patient requiring long-term…

Answer 7

Haemodylasis

Question 8

What toxic compound is produced in a paracetamol OD that results in liver damage, as it is no longer able to be broken down due to the excess paracetamol?

Answer 8

NAPQI

Question 9

What is the function of NAC in paracetaoml ODs?

Answer 9

Helps the liver to convert NAPQI into a non-toxic form

Question 10

As NAPQI produced in a paracetamol OD is hepatotoxic, what can occur and what may the patient need?

Answer 10

Liver failure

May need a liver transplant

Question 11

Is a serious delayed paracetamol OD good?

Answer 11

Oh absolutely not

Question 12

What type of OD has occured if someone presents with a paracetamol OD a couple of days after taking all the paracetamol?

Answer 12

Serious delayed OD

Question 13

What do you need to do early days for a serious delayed paracetamol OD?

Answer 13

Pysch review

Question 14

How many 500mg paracetamol tablets do you ned to take to have an OD?

Answer 14

>15

Question 15

A paracetoml OD can be accidental, give an example in which this can occur

Answer 15

Taking paracetamol on top of co-codamol

Co-codamol obvs has some paracetaoml in it

(a bit too much painkillers ehh)

Question 16

What is co-codamol made up of?

Answer 16

Paracetamol and codeine (opioid)

Question 17

What is an important bit of info to find out for a paracetamol OD?

Answer 17

If it’s staggered or acute

Question 18

What investigations should you do for a paracetamol OD?

Answer 18

Paracetoml levels

Clotting screen

LFTs

Bloods

Question 19

Why should you do a clotting screen for a paracetaoml OD?

Answer 19

As prothrombin time is a good severity indicator

Question 20

How is a paracetol OD managed?

Question 21

What is the antidote for a paracetamol OD

Answer 21

N-acetyl cystine (NAC)

Question 22

How long is the IV infusion of NAC for a paracetamol OD?

Answer 22

21 hours