Acetaminophen

Brand Names

Tylenol, Panadol, Tylenol Arthritis, Paracetamol and Excedrin

What is Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen is a medicine prescribed to relieve mild to moderate pain from headaches, muscle aches, menstrual periods, colds and sore throats, toothaches, backaches, and reactions to vaccinations (shots), and to decrease fever. It is used to relieve the pain of osteoarthritis (arthritis caused by the breakdown of the lining of the joints). It belongs to a class of prescription called analgesics (pain relievers) and antipyretics (fever reducers). It works by changing the way the body senses pain and by cooling the body.

Side effects of Acetaminophen

You may notice these side effects that may be severe or bothersome:

• black, tarry stools
• bloody or cloudy urine
• fever with or without chills (not caused by condition being treated and not present before treatment)
• pain in lower back or side (severe or sharp)
• pinpoint red spots on skin
• skin rash, hives, or itching
• sore throat not present before treatment and not caused by the condition being treated
• sores, ulcers, or white spots on lips or in mouth
• sudden decrease in amount of urine
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• unusual tiredness or weakness

Indication

Acetaminophen is indicated to treat mild pain or fever, or for the temporary relief of headache, myalgia, back pain, toothache, dysmenorrhea, arthralgia, or minor aches and pains associated with the common cold or flu.

Acetaminophen is produced in a tablet, chewable tablet, capsule, suspension or liquid, concentrated liquid, extended-release tablet and orally disintegrating, It is taken by mouth, with or without food. It is also comes as a suppository to use rectally. Acetaminophen is indicated without a prescription, but sometimes it is prescribed to treat certain conditions.

It is important to note that this medicine should not be used for self-medication of pain for longer than 10 days in adults or 5 days in children. In It is also should not be used for self-medication of marked fever (greater than 39.5 degrees C or 103.1 degrees F), fever persisting longer than 3 days, or recurrent fever, until it is prescribed for.

Precautions

It is important for you to inform your doctor if you have any medical conditions or allergies, if you are taking any other medications, if you are pregnant or breast-feeding as these factors may affect the indication of this medication.

Alcohol: Consumption of alcohol may increase the risk of liver damage, even when acetaminophen is used at normal doses.

Discontinue use: If the tablet gets stuck in your throat, your pain gets worse or lasts more than 10 days, your fever gets worse or lasts more than 3 days, new symptoms occur, and redness or swelling is present at the site of pain call your doctor as soon as possible. These could be signs of a serious condition.

Liver damage: Severe liver damage may occur if you:

• drink 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using this product
• take more than the maximum daily amount of acetaminophen
• take this medication with other drugs containing acetaminophen

Pregnancy: Acetaminophen should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks. If you become pregnant while taking this medication, inform your doctor immediately.

Breast-feeding: If you are a breast-feeding mother and are taking acetaminophen, it may affect your baby. Your doctor should recommend if you should continue breast-feeding.

Dosage forms

Oral or rectal dosage (regular-release formulations):

• Adults and adolescents (12 years): 325 - 650 mg PO or PR every 4 - 6 hours, as needed. Alternatively, 1000 mg PO or PR, 2 - 4 times per day can be given. Note that doses effective for acute pain relief (1 - 2 tablets/day) may not be effective in chronic pain states, which require higher daily doses. Do not exceed single doses of 1 g/dose or 4 g/day.
• Children (12 years and infants) : 10 - 15 mg/kg PO or PR every 4 - 6 hours. Do not exceed 5 doses in 24 hours.
• Neonates: 10 - 15 mg/kg PO or PR every 6 - 8 hours as needed.

Oral dosage (extended-release formulations):

• Adults and adolescents (12 years) : 650 - 1300 mg PO every 8 hours as needed. Total daily dose should not exceed 6 extended-release tablets or 4 g per day. For self-medication, use of extended-release products is not recommended for children 18 years of age.

Dosage for Osteoarthritis pain (Oral):

• Adults: It is recommended that acetaminophen as first-line therapy for osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. In a randomized, double-blind trial, acetaminophen 4 g/day PO was as effective as ibuprofen in doses of 2.4 or 1.2 g/day for the short-term relief of joint pain and improvement of function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Due to a ceiling effect where side effects increase to negate any analgesic benefit, do not exceed single doses of 1 g/dose or 4 g/day.

Dosage for headache pain due to acute migraine:

Oral or rectal dosage:

• Adults and adolescents: Single doses of 500 - 1000 mg PO or PR have been utilized. Due to a ceiling effect where side effects increase to negate any analgesic benefit, do not exceed single doses of 1 g/dose or 4 g/day.
• Children (4 years): In one clinical trial, single doses of 15 mg/kg PO were twice as effective as placebo in reducing severe or moderate headache pain within 2 hours.