Apap – composition, dosage, precautions, overdose

Proven content

Apap is an over-the-counter pain reliever and antipyretic drug based on paracetamol. The use of Apap film-coated tablets requires caution when taking other medications or if the patient has contraindications to the use of this drug. Taking Apap in a manner inconsistent with the recommended dosage may lead to overdose and intoxication with paracetamol. What precautions should I take when reaching for Apap?

Apap – coated tablets with paracetamol

Apap in film-coated tablets is a widely available pain reliever and antipyretic drug that is available over the counter. The active substance of this medicinal product is paracetamol. Main indications for the use of Apapu These are pain of various origins, including headaches, menstrual, muscular, osteoarticular pain, toothache or neuralgia, as well as fever occurring, for example, with flu or a cold.

Remember that you should check your symptoms with your GP before taking any medications. Try a convenient online consultation with a doctor via the halodoctor.pl portal.

Apap – composition

The key ingredient of Apap is paracetamol, the active substance of the drug – 500 mg of the substance is contained in one coated tablet. Different doses of paracetamol may appear with other types of the drug (eg Apap 325 mg). In addition to the active substance, there are auxiliary substances in Apapa:

1. gelatinized starch;
2. carnauba wax;
3. powidon;
4. macrogol;
5. stearic acid;
6. croscarmellose sodium;
7. hypromeloza.

If you are allergic to any of the components of the drug, this medicine should not be used.

Apap – contraindications

In some situations the use of Apap is not recommended. Contraindications relate primarily to:

1. people who are allergic to paracetamol or any ingredient of the drug;
2. children under 12 years of age (due to the form of the drug – coated tablets);
3. people with severe renal or hepatic insufficiency;
4. the presence of congenital deficiencies of methaemoglobin reductase or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult their doctor before taking Apapu. This also applies to women who are planning or suspecting pregnancy. Administration of Apapu to pregnant women is acceptable if necessary. The lowest effective dose of the drug is then used and taken for the shortest possible time. If in doubt, consult your doctor.

Read also:

1. Apap in pregnancy – is it safe to use?
2. Apap for children – an antipyretic and analgesic drug for children

Apap – drug dosage

The use of Apap film-coated tablets should be carried out in accordance with the leaflet or the instructions of the doctor or pharmacist. People taking Apap without medical consultation should not take the drug for more than 3 days in case of fever or for 5 days if pain persists during this time. The speed of action of Apap is greater when it is given on an empty stomach.

Apap in the form of 500 mg film-coated tablets should be taken on an ad hoc basis, in the event of symptoms, in the following doses:

1. adults – 1 or 2 tablets (i.e. 500-1000 mg of paracetamol) are used at a time, up to 3 or 4 times a day at appropriate intervals, i.e. usually every 4 hours; you can take the maximum of 4 g of paracetamol per day, i.e. 8 tablets of the drug;
2. children and adolescents over 12 years of age – take 1 tablet (500 mg) once, this dose can be used 3-4 times a day with at least four hours between the doses;
3. children younger than 12 years of age should not be given this medicine.

Apap should not be used after the expiry date. It should be kept away from children (out of sight and inaccessible to them) at a temperature lower than 25 degrees C.

Overdosage of Apap

If Apap is not used according to the recommended dosage, there is a risk of overdosing. If you take more than the recommended dose of Apap, it is advisable to seek medical advice immediately – this also applies if the patient feels well, as there is a risk of severe liver damagefollowing a delay.

An overdose of Apap may lead to the appearance of the following symptoms within a few or several hours:

1. nausea;
2. vomiting;
3. somnolence;
4. weakness;
5. excessive sweating.

Although these symptoms may improve over a period of time, such as overnight, liver damage may progress during this time. Signs of it include nausea, jaundice, and abdominal distension.

When it comes to taking Apap in a single dose exceeding 5 g of paracetamol or morewithin an hour of taking the drug, you must induce vomiting and contact your doctor immediately. You can also administer activated charcoal mixed with water (60–100 g) orally – this procedure will allow the drug residues present in the stomach to be bound.

If the symptoms persist despite the use of Apapu, it is worth ordering a home visit by an internist. Your doctor will give you any necessary instructions for further treatment.

Apap – interactions with other drugs

When taking Apap, care should be taken when taking other medications in parallel. First of all, you should pay attention to whether other taken medicinal preparations do not contain paracetamol – there is a risk of overdosing with this active substance.

Other medicines that you should not take Apapu with include:

1. MAO inhibitors, i.e. antidepressants, but also administered, for example, in arterial hypotension or Parkinson’s disease;
2. zidovudine – an antiviral drug.

For some medications, consult your doctor before using Apap. This applies, inter alia, to antiepileptic drugs, anticoagulants, barbiturates, isoniazid, rifampicin, sulfinpyrazone or diflunisal.

Find out more about pain medications:

1. Painkillers – which ones to choose for your ailment?
2. Dependence on pain medications
3. From Opium to Ibuprofen – The History of Painkillers

Apap – possible side effects

Some people using Apap film-coated tablets may experience side effects. Very rarely the result of taking the drug are life-threatening conditions – in their case, you should stop taking the drug and seek medical advice immediately:

1. anaphylactic shock;
2. angioedema;
3. severe skin reactions.

Other side effectsthat may occur with Apap treatment include:

1. occurring rarely – allergic reactions, rash, urticaria, erythema, digestive disorders, nausea, vomiting;
2. very rarely occurring – pigmentary purpura, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, acute liver damage (usually in overdose), as well as bronchospasm, which may affect patients with hypersensitivity to NSAIDs (non-steroidal inflammatory drugs), including acetylsalicylic acid.

Apap – the appearance of the drug

Apap film-coated tablet is white and oblong with a transparent film coating and the APAP monogram is visible on the surface of the tablet (one side). This medicinal product is available in a variety of pack sizes – two-tablet sachets, blisters with a different number of tablets, and bottles.

Among other varieties of Apapu you can mention, among others Apap Noc, Apap Junior, Apap Extra, Apap C Plus, Apap Direct.