✅ Prescription / Indication:
Paracetamol 650 mg tablets are used for:
- Moderate pain relief, especially where 500 mg is insufficient
- Fever reduction, including high-grade fever
- Pain due to:
- Headache
- Toothache
- Backache
- Menstrual cramps
- Post-surgical pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Commonly prescribed for adult patients, including those with COVID-19-related fever and inflammatory symptoms (as supportive treatment)
🟢 Often available OTC, but may be prescribed for specific conditions or fever management protocols.
📄 Description:
- Generic name: Paracetamol (also known as Acetaminophen)
- Form: Oral tablet
- Strength: 650 mg
- Appearance: Usually oblong or oval, white, film-coated
- Pharmacological class: Non-opioid analgesic and antipyretic
- Mechanism of Action: Inhibits prostaglandin synthesis in the CNS (central nervous system), which lowers pain and temperature
🌟 Advantages:
- Higher strength offers stronger and longer-lasting relief
- Useful for patients needing sustained pain or fever control
- Fewer gastrointestinal and cardiovascular side effects compared to NSAIDs
- Suitable for patients with peptic ulcers or NSAID intolerance
- Can be taken with most antibiotics or antivirals (e.g., in viral fevers)
🔬 Nature:
- Drug type: Antipyretic, analgesic
- Non-narcotic, non-sedating
- Not anti-inflammatory
- Does not irritate the stomach lining
📦 Common Package:
- Blister strips (10 or 15 tablets per strip)
- Sold in boxes or bottles
- Labeled with dosage info, batch no., and expiry date
- Sometimes branded as “Paracetamol Extra” or “Paracetamol 650”
🧊 Storage Conditions:
- Store at 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F)
- Protect from moisture and light
- Keep in original packaging
- Keep out of reach of children
👨⚕️ Patient Advice / Precautions:
✅ Do:
- Take with a glass of water
- Can be taken with or without food
- Use at 4–6 hour intervals
- Adults: Usually 1 tablet (650 mg) every 6 hours
- Maximum daily dose: 4000 mg (i.e., not more than 6 tablets in 24 hours)
- Check other medications to avoid duplicate paracetamol ingredients
❌ Avoid:
- Alcohol use (increased risk of liver damage)
- Exceeding dose or frequency
- Combining with other drugs containing paracetamol (many cold/flu combos include it)
- Use in patients with liver disease unless under medical supervision