Acetaminophen Poisonings Are on the Rise

Acetaminophen is used to treat pain and fever worldwide. The drug has proven to be safe if taken correctly. However, if taken in excess amounts, can cause an overdose and be life threatening. Misbar has discovered that new research out of Switzerland suggests higher dosage availability of the drug may be leading to more poisonings. 

According to the study, acetaminophen is safe when taken as prescribed, but taking more than 4000 mg/day can be poisonous. Researchers found that the availability of higher dose tablets of acetaminophen makes it easier for people to poison themselves. In Switzerland, 500-mg tablets were only available over the counter, but then beginning in October 2003, 1000-mg tablets were available with a prescription. The Swiss researchers analysed calls from the Swiss National Poison Centre before and after 2003, and found a significant increase in accidental overdoses from acetaminophen, and most of the cases were tied to the 1,000-mg tablet. 

According to Andrea Burden, a pharmacoepidemiologist, in MDLinx: “One problem with acetaminophen is that it is not effective for all patients or against all forms of pain. If the drug doesn’t help to ease someone’s symptoms, they may be tempted to increase the dosage without consulting a medical professional. That’s the real problem. Many people don’t realize that each pill you swallow adds up in the body.”

The problem is not just limited to Switzerland. Countries around the world are seeing a similar phenomenon. Research out of Canada showed the first 308 patients enrolled in the study demonstrated that acetaminophen was the most common cause of acute liver failure, accounting for 39% of cases.