Case history
Case history #1
A 20-year-old woman presents 3 hours after ingesting two packets of paracetamol tablets following an argument with her boyfriend. She is asymptomatic.
Case history #2
A 38-year-old woman presents with nausea and pain from a tooth abscess. On further questioning she states that she has been ingesting small handfuls of paracetamol-containing pills every few hours over the previous 2 to 3 days.
Other presentations
Acute liver injury or fulminant hepatic failure of undetermined aetiology may occur if a paracetamol overdose has been taken several days earlier. Coma and severe metabolic acidosis may precede the development of hepatotoxicity in acute massive paracetamol overdose.[3] Coma and respiratory depression may occur if a combination preparation of paracetamol and opioid has been ingested.
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