Paracetamol 762 INDEX

Therapy, to be effective, depends upon administration of an adequate number of platelets, generally 5 X 10 in a 70 kg man or a 60 kg woman given over 15 minutes - with suitable adjustment for body surface area in children. It is mandatory that the increment is calculated and the duration of response be documented at 24 hours. The optimum practice is to relate the number infused to changes achieved in the patient by means of the corrected count index. This step anticipates the emergence of resistance that limits the value of repeated transfusions. Occasional allergic reactions have to be blocked by premedication with an intravenous injection 100 mg of hydrocortisone, 12.5 mg of phenergan and 1 g of paracetamol... 

Overdoses of paracetamol can be very dangerous, as the drug has a narrow therapeutic index and may cause hepatic and renal necrosis. Nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and sweating are the early overdose symptoms. Paracetamol must be given with caution in alcoholics and patients with liver and kidney damage. 

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