Every year, 50,000 people are admitted to the hospital with acetaminophen overdose. In fact, acetaminophen the leading cause of liver failure in the US.
Acetaminophen can be a dangerous drug that can easily cause liver toxicity. Since it comes in so many different medications, it can be confusing to know exactly how much acetaminophen you’ve taken in a 24-hour period.
Soon to be in the spotlight and heavily advertised is a new version of acetaminophen—an 80 mg gummy bite designed for kids. There are also many other versions of “Tylenol” on the pharmacy shelves today that aren’t even Tylenol. For this reason and more, it is critical to take a complete and accurate medical history on every patient. You need to know exactly how much (and what kind) of acetaminophen your patients are taking before using any drugs for dental treatment that may add to the daily dosage.
Join us in this episode of Medical History Mysteries as we look at the various types of acetaminophen on the market (and new ones to come) that you need to know about.
Thumbnail background image credit: Helen Slyvinska / iStock / Getty Images Plus
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Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Clinical Insights newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe.
