The Cork city coroner has warned that taking as few as four paracetamol tablets together can be harmful to a person's health.
Dr Myra Cullinane was speaking yesterday at an inquest into the death of a woman in February from an unintentional overdose of paracetamol.
A verdict of misadventure was returned at the inquest into the death of Elizabeth Walsh (57), Blarney Street, Cork, at Mercy University Hospital.
Dr Martin Buckley gave evidence of caring for Ms Walsh during her admission to the Mercy Hospital in January. He said that blood tests had shown 75 grammes of paracetamol in her blood and empty blister packs brought in by her family suggested that she had taken up to 150 tablets over a period.
She had been feeling fine and was looking forward to going home, but her condition deteriorated over a number of days and she died on February 2nd.
Dr Buckley said the level of the medication in Ms Walsh's bloodstream was extremely high and two grammes of paracetamol, the equivalent of four tablets, taken together could be harmful, especially if taken with alcohol.
Dr Cullinane said attention should be drawn to the fact that such a small dose of paracetamol could be dangerous.
"There are already restrictions on the amount of paracetamol that can be purchased at one time, but it must be highlighted that as little as two grammes can lead to an adverse reaction, especially when combined with alcohol. It's important that the public know how potentially dangerous paracetamol can be."
Ms Walsh had been suffering from a blockage in her kidney and had been in severe pain for some time. Dr Buckley said she could have taken a higher than normal level of paracetamol over a number of days or hours.
He said it was usual in cases of paracetamol overdose for the patient to deteriorate over a number of days.
Dr Cullinane noted there had been no postmortem. She said Ms Walsh had died from paracetamol overdose which led to acute renal and liver failure and pneumonia, and returned a verdict of misadventure.
