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Acetaminophen, the widely-used pain reliever, is harmless, right?? Well, certainly not. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently advised doctors to prevent issuing medications with over 325 milligrams of acetaminophen.
They found that taking too much acetaminophen can lead to liver damage.? Whenever a patient takes multiple medications which contain acetaminophen, it can be simple for the patient to exceed the recommended maximum dosage of 4,000 milligrams within a 24-hour period.? The FDA believes that reducing a prescribed dosage might help prevent a potential overdose.
It may be surprising to learn there are risks associated with this type of common household pain reliever.? Is there more we ought to know about acetaminophen? ?Author Jacque Wilson provides CNN.com four facts everyone ought to know about this popular drug.
- It’s in more than simply Tylenol C while Tylenol could be the most widely used name brand of acetaminophen, it’s also found in other popular, over Cthe-counter, medications. Doctors also employ it in medication plans along with opioids, for example Norco, Percocet and Vicodin.? Read drug info on packages to know the exact ingredients and their dosages.? And ensure your physician knows all of the medicine you’re taking.
- Taking too much is simple to do – based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH), overdosing on acetaminophen is among the most typical poisonings on the planet.? When one gel tablet of additional Strength Tylenol contains 500 milligrams of the drug, it is easy to quickly equal to the recommended 4,000 milligram each day limit.? Additionally, since some drugs contain acetaminophen like a secondary ingredient, it may not be clear that you have to keep count of those milligrams too.
- It can lead to more harm than good when treating a hangover C when combined with alcohol, acetaminophen can increase your risk of liver damage.? Chemicals inside your liver could be thrown off if you find alcohol in your body.? In result, acetaminophen may be metabolized into a more toxic substance, based on the NIH.
- Parents should pay close attention to doses C acetaminophen is usually recommended to calm temperature or fight pain for children.? Liquid acetaminophen for infants and children are now offered in the same concentration of 160 milligrams per 5 milliliters.? Infants require a smaller dose, so make sure to read the dosage chart on the package before giving any medicine to your child. The dosage chart is listed by weight or age, and when your child does not fall inside the guideline in the chart, consult with your doctor.? The FDA recommends that folks make use of the measuring tool that accompany the medication, and never a kitchen spoon.
“It’s good that the FDA is reminding us to consider acetaminophen seriously,” says Dr. Jennifer DeBruler, an internal medical physician with Advocate Medical Group.? “Try to see the packages of all your medications to really understand what drugs they contain.? Try not to use several product which contains acetaminophen since it could be easy to lose track of how much you are taking.”
Dr. DeBruler adds, “If there is whatever you don’t understand, make sure to talk to your doctor or pharmacist.”
