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A recent study in US by Dr. Michael Wolf, from Northwestern University in Chicago, and his colleagues, has revealed that millions of people are unintentionally overdosing on Britain's most popular painkiller, Paracetamol.

According to researchers, misusing the drug poses major health risks including acute liver failure.

Scientists, who have called for 'urgent attention' to the problem, warn against the unintentional overdose by nearly a quarter of adults who simply ignore the recommended dosage per day.

Apparently, it's mostly elderly people who seem to overlook the manufacturer's dosage instructions and often forget how many tablets they have already taken.

Apart from that, people also tend to consume acetaminophen, an active ingredient of paracetamol through various medicines in a short time period, without even realizing it.

Another main reason behind the overdose is the fact that some people "self-prescribe "medicines that are available over the counter and try to treat their self-diagnosed condition.

The recommend dosage of paracetamol for a day is a maximum of eight 500mg tablets, to be taken no more than two at a time during each four-hour period.

Apart from a liver failure, an overdose of the medicine can also cause fluid build-up in brain which can be fatal.

For the study, researchers interviewed 500 adult patients in Atlanta, Georgia, and Chicago, Illinois between September 2009 and March 2011.

The study results revealed that over 19% patients were 'heavy users' of acetaminophen, while half of them indicated some extent of usage.

They also found that a quarter of them were at risk of overdosing on pain medication by using a single paracetamol product and exceeding the 4g limit in a 24-hour period

While 5 % of them crossed the recommended limit and took 6 g, almost half of them were at risk of overdosing by 'double-dipping' with two different acetaminophen-containing products.

"Our findings suggest that many consumers do not recognize or differentiate the active ingredient in over-the-counter pain medicines, nor do they necessarily closely adhere to package or label instructions," Wolf was quoted as saying by Expresses.co.uk.

"Given the prevalence of the problem, risk of significant adverse effects, and lack of a learned intermediary - for instance, a physician to guide decision making and counsel consumers on proper use - we believe this to be a serious public health threat requiring urgent attention," Wolf added.