Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Tylenol, are often prescribed for minor to moderate pain. Although these OTC drugs work well and are widely and easily available, many people still regard them as being innocuous, and exceed the recommended dosage.
Over the past five years, The FDA has attempted to make people aware of the risk of unintentional overdose of Tylenol and the damage it can cause to the liver, the organ whose job it is to process the drug. A new report from the FDA has shown that, despite education campaigns, “unintentional and intentional overdoses leading to severe hepatotoxicity continue to occur”. This damage to the liver can be permanent and /or fatal. As of April 28, manufacturers of Tylenol and other potentially harmful OTC drugs such as NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which can cause serious bleeding in the stomach, were instructed to include warnings about these risks in their packaging.
The FDA report also includes new recommendations to:
Limit the adult maximum daily dose of Tylenol to 3250 mg (the equivalent of 10 regular-strength Tylenol tablets)
Further limit the daily recommended daily dose of Tylenol for those who consume 3 or more alcoholic beverages while taking Tylenol
Limit the strength of immediate release Tylenol capsules to 325 mg
Limit the single adult dose to a maximum of 650 mg
Two problems identified in the report are that many OTC products and formulations contain Tylenol, which consumers unknowingly take at the same time they are taking Tylenol, and consumers are often taking more than the recommended dosage of the drug in the hopes that taking more will help their pain. Both of these issues can lead to liver damage, which the person may not know they have until it is too late.
Many OTC products contain Tylenol, such as cold, headache and fever remedies.
Related Links:
OTC Medications for Cold and Flu from Health Guru
Tylenol from Medicine Net
Drug-Induced Liver Disease from Medicine Net
