Acetaminophen: Uses, Side Effects & Warnings

Generic name: acetaminophen (oral)

Drug class: Miscellaneous analgesics

Availability: Rx and/or otc

Pregnancy & Lactation: Risk data available

Brand names: Paracetamol, Tylenol, Aurophen, Feverall (rectal), Mapap

What is Acetaminophen?

Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and a fever reducer.

Acetaminophen is used to treat mild to moderate pain, moderate to severe pain in conjunction with opiates, or to reduce fever. Common conditions treated include headache, muscle aches, arthritis, backache, toothaches, sore throat, colds, flu, and fevers.

Acetaminophen is also available in many over-the-counter combination medications with other drugs, including Actifed, Alka-Seltzer Plus Liquid Gels, Cepacol, Contac, Coridicin, Dayquil, Dimetapp, Dristan, Excedrin, Feverall, Liquiprin, Midol, Nyquil, Panadol, Robitussin Singlet, Sinutab, Sudafed, Theraflu, Triaminic, Vanquish, Vicks, and Zicam.

Acetaminophen is also found in many prescription combination drugs, including Butalbital, Endocet, Fioricet, Hycotab, Hydrocet, Hydrocodone bitartrate, Lortab, Percocet, Phenaphen, Sedapap, Tapanol, Tylenol with codeine, Tylox, Ultracet, Vicodin, and Zydone.

Acetaminophen is typically used orally, but can be given intravenously.

Warnings

You should not use this medication if you have severe liver disease.

An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death.

• Adults and teenagers who weigh at least 110 pounds should not take more than 1000 milligrams (mg) at one time, or more than 4000 mg in 24 hours.

• Children younger than 12 years old should not take more than 5 doses in 24 hours, using only the number of milligrams per dose that is recommended for the child's weight and age. Use exactly as directed on the label.

Avoid also using other medicines that contain acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as APAP), or you could have a fatal overdose.

Call your doctor at once if you have nausea, pain in your upper stomach, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes).

Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling.

How should I take Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen comes as a tablet, chewable tablet, capsule, suspension or solution (liquid), extended-release (long-acting) tablet, and orally disintegrating tablet (tablet that dissolves quickly in the mouth), to take by mouth, with or without food. Acetaminophen is available without a prescription, but your doctor may prescribe acetaminophen to treat certain conditions. Follow the directions on the package or prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.

If you are giving acetaminophen to your child, read the package label carefully to make sure that it is the right product for the age of the child. Do not give children acetaminophen products that are made for adults. Some products for adults and older children may contain too much acetaminophen for a younger child. Check the package label to find out how much medication the child needs. If you know how much your child weighs, give the dose that matches that weight on the chart. If you don't know your child's weight, give the dose that matches your child's age. Ask your child's doctor if you don't know how much medication to give your child.

Acetaminophen comes in combination with other medications to treat cough and cold symptoms. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice on which product is best for your symptoms. Check nonprescription cough and cold product labels carefully before using two or more products at the same time. These products may contain the same active ingredient(s) and taking them together could cause you to receive an overdose. This is especially important if you will be giving cough and cold medications to a child.

Swallow the extended-release tablets whole; do not split, chew, crush, or dissolve them.

Place the orally disintegrating tablet ('Meltaways') in your mouth and allow to dissolve or chew it before swallowing.

Shake the suspension well before each use to mix the medication evenly. Always use the measuring cup or syringe provided by the manufacturer to measure each dose of the solution or suspension. Do not switch dosing devices between different products; always use the device that comes in the product packaging.

Stop taking acetaminophen and call your doctor if your symptoms get worse, you develop new or unexpected symptoms, including redness or swelling, your pain lasts for more than 10 days, or your fever gets worse or lasts more than 3 days. Also stop giving acetaminophen to your child and call your child's doctor if your child develops new symptoms, including redness or swelling, or your child's pain lasts for longer than 5 days, or fever get worse or lasts longer than 3 days.

Do not give acetaminophen to a child who has a sore throat that is severe or does not go away, or that occurs along with fever, headache, rash, nausea, or vomiting. Call the child's doctor right away, because these symptoms may be signs of a more serious condition.

Dosing information

Take acetaminophen exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. An overdose can damage your liver or cause death.

Acetaminophen comes in many different forms such as capsules, liquid, chewable or disintegrating tablets, and dissolving powders or granules. Read and carefully follow any Instructions for Use provided with your medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you need help.

• Adults and teenagers at least 12 years old: Do not take more than 1000 milligrams (mg) at one time or more than 4000 mg in 24 hours.

• Children younger than 12 years old: Do not take more than 5 doses of children's formula acetaminophen in 24 hours.

Do not give extra-strength acetaminophen to a child younger than 12 years old without medical advice.

A child's dose is based on age and weight. Carefully follow the dosing instructions provided with acetaminophen. Ask a doctor before giving this medicine to a child younger than 2 years.

Acetaminophen made for infants comes with its own medicine dropper or oral syringe. Measuring with the wrong device may cause an overdose. Use only the provided dosing device provided to measure an infant's dose.

Liquid acetaminophen made for infants comes with its own medicine dropper or oral syringe. Measuring with the wrong device may cause an overdose. Use only the provided dosing device provided to measure an infant's dose.

Acetaminophen made for infants is available in two different dose concentrations, and each concentration comes with its own medicine dropper or oral syringe. These dosing devices are not equal between the different concentrations. Using the wrong device may cause you to give your child an overdose of acetaminophen. Never mix and match dosing devices between infant formulations of acetaminophen.

You may need to shake the liquid before each use. Follow the directions on the medicine label.

The chewable tablet must be chewed thoroughly before you swallow it.

Make sure your hands are dry when handling the acetaminophen disintegrating tablet. Place the tablet on your tongue. It will begin to dissolve right away. Do not swallow the tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing.

To use the acetaminophen effervescent granules, dissolve one packet of the granules in at least 4 ounces of water. Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away. To make sure you get the entire dose, add a little more water to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right away.

The oral powder should be placed directly on the tongue and swallowed.

Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor if:

• you still have a sore throat after 2 days of use;

• you still have a fever after 3 days of use;

• you still have pain after 7 days of use (or 5 days if treating a child);

• you have a skin rash, ongoing headache, nausea, vomiting, redness or swelling; or

• your symptoms get worse, or if you have any new symptoms.

Taking acetaminophen may cause false results with certain blood glucose monitors. If you have diabetes, ask your doctor about the best way to monitor your blood sugar levels while using this medicine.

Store at room temperature away from heat and moisture.

Detailed Acetaminophen dosage information

Acetaminophen Dosage information (more detail)

Before Taking

You should not take acetaminophen if you are allergic to it, or if you take other medications that contain acetaminophen.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if this medicine is safe to use if you've ever had cirrhosis of the liver, or if you drink alcohol daily.

Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Acetaminophen pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (more detail)

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since acetaminophen is taken as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of acetaminophen can be fatal.

The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and confusion or weakness. Later symptoms may include pain in your upper stomach, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

What should I avoid while using Acetaminophen?

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as APAP) is contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much acetaminophen which can lead to a fatal overdose. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen or APAP.

Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen.

Avoid using other medicines that may contain acetaminophen.

Avoid drinking alcohol.

Acetaminophen side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to acetaminophen: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction that can be fatal, even if you took acetaminophen in the past and had no reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling.

Stop taking acetaminophen and call your doctor at once if you have signs of liver problems:

• stomach pain (upper right side);

• loss of appetite;

• tiredness, itching;

• dark urine, clay-colored stools; or

• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious acetaminophen side effects may be more likely, and you may have none at all.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See more: Acetaminophen Side Effects

What other drugs will affect Acetaminophen?

Other drugs may interact with acetaminophen, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use.

What other information should I know?

Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking acetaminophen.

Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about acetaminophen.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

Combination Products

• Dayquil® (containing Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Pseudoephedrine)
• NyQuil Cold/Flu Relief® (containing Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Doxylamine)
• Percocet® (containing Acetaminophen, Oxycodone)

Source: https://themeditary.com/drug/acetaminophen-4.html?utm_source=3_blogger_source&utm_medium=3_blogger_medium&utm_campaign=3_blogger_cam

Drug Class: Miscellaneous analgesics

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