Codeine/paracetamol

Side effects

The most common side effects include constipation, nausea and drowsiness. Others include coughing up blood from the lungs, skin rashes, dizziness, sedation, shortness of breath, hypersensitivity reaction, fainting (syncope or near syncope), confusion, loss of short-term memory, changes in blood, allergic reactions, euphoria, dysphoria, abdominal pain, itchiness, easy bruising, bleeding gums, vivid dreams, dry mouth and addiction.

Genetic differences between people cause differing rates of metabolism of codeine to morphine. In about 5 percent of people this may happen particularly fast, causing morphine to be passed through breast milk in amounts that may cause fatal respiratory depression in a breastfed baby.

Society and culture

Availability

Of the European Union member states, eleven allow over-the-counter sale of solid dosage forms of codeine, including codeine/paracetamol: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia.

References

References

1. (25 April 2012). "Acetaminophen with Codeine Product information".
2. (30 November 2021). "Boots Paracetamol & Codeine 500mg/8mg Tablets - Patient Information Leaflet (PIL)".
3. (25 March 2021). "Co-Codamol 15/500 Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC)".
4. "Controlled Substances - Alphabetical Order".
5. (31 July 2020). "Acetaminophen and Codeine Phosphate tablet".
6. (25 May 2022). "Acetaminophen and Codeine Phosphate solution".
7. "The Top 300 of 2023".
8. "Acetaminophen; Codeine Drug Usage Statistics, United States, 2013 - 2023".
9. (19 December 2018). "Co-codamol for adults: painkiller containing paracetamol and codeine". National Health Service.
10. (2017). "Over-the-Counter Codeine-from Therapeutic Use to Dependence, and the Grey Areas in Between".
11. (20 August 2008). "Codeine Use While Breastfeeding May Be Dangerous". CTV News.
12. (November 2015). "The availability of over-the-counter codeine medicines across the European Union". Public Health.