Student almost dies after accidental paracetamol overdose

• Key Takeaways for Clinical Practice
• Paracetamol overdose can cause rapid and severe organ failure with minimal warning, necessitating high clinical suspicion and prompt intervention in suspected cases
• Patient and carer education on safe paracetamol dosing and cumulative toxicity risk is essential, particularly given the drug's widespread availability and presence in combination products
• Early toxicology screening and specialist poison centre consultation should be considered in cases of acute overdose to guide management and improve outcomes

The parents of a student who suffered organ failure and nearly died after accidentally overdosing on paracetamol have spoken of the distress it caused and said they have "no idea how it happened so quickly".

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