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Blog (19)

Patients May Receive Too Much Acetaminophen in Hospital

Posted 5 days ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, May 23 – Roughly 2.5 percent of admitted hospital patients may receive more than the safe daily cumulative dose of the pain-reliever acetaminophen, best known as Tylenol, on at least one day, according to a new U.S. study. Patients on more than one drug containing acetaminophen often consume more than the recommended 4 grams per day of the drug, the researchers from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia found. Together, two tablets of extra-strength Tylenol contain 1 gram of acetaminophen, commonly used to relieve pain and reduce fever. Over the course of two years, researchers led by Dr. Jesse Civan examined 46,000 hospital admissions and the medications those patients were given. They found that on at least one day of hospitalization, roughly 1,100 patients received more than 4 grams of acetaminophen in the form of Tylenol, Percocet and similar drugs. The ... Read more

Limit Cold Medications During Pregnancy, Experts Advise

Posted 21 Dec 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 – It's prudent to limit the use of over-the-counter cold and flu medications during pregnancy, experts say. This is because some medications may contain substances that are potentially harmful to developing fetuses, or that have not been well-studied for use in pregnant women. "Every year around this time, we get a significant number of calls from pregnant and breast-feeding women in California who are battling colds and are worried about which meds they can and can't take," said Christina Chambers, professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Diego and program director at the California Teratogen Information Service. To help expectant mothers who are sick this holiday season, Chambers offered these cold medicine safety tips: Take as little as possible. Over-the-counter cold remedies could contain up to six ingredients for a wide array of symptoms, such ... Read more

Too Much Acetaminophen Over Time May Damage Liver

Posted 22 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Nov. 22 – Taking slightly too much of the pain reliever acetaminophen (best known by the brand name Tylenol) over time can lead to an overdose that can cause liver failure and death, according to a new study. These "staggered overdoses" can occur when people have ongoing pain and repeatedly take a little more acetaminophen than they should, explained Dr. Kenneth Simpson, author of the study, published Nov. 22 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. "They haven't taken the sort of single-moment, one-off massive overdoses taken by people who try to commit suicide, but over time the damage builds up, and the effect can be fatal," Simpson said in a journal news release. He and his colleagues analyzed data from 663 patients with acetaminophen-induced liver injury who were admitted to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Scotland between 1992 and 2008. In the U.K. and ... Read more

Experts Debate Tylenol's Safety for Asthmatic Kids

Posted 7 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Nov. 7 – Taken in the proper dose, acetaminophen has long been considered one of the safest over-the-counter medications. It's approved for use in children, and many obstetricians are even OK with its use during pregnancy. But an Ohio pediatrician thinks it's time to rein in use of acetaminophen – more popularly known as Tylenol – particularly in people with asthma. "The fundamental issue is that there's an epidemiological problem associated with acetaminophen and asthma," explained Dr. John McBride, vice chair of the department of pediatrics and director of the Robert T. Stone Respiratory Center at Akron Children's Hospital. "Is that because acetaminophen contributes to asthma, or is it just because people with asthma tend to take acetaminophen?" he said. Until a large-scale study definitively answers that question, McBride said, "I think we owe it to our patients and their ... Read more

Health Tip: Alcohol Can Interact With Medications

Posted 25 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com

-- Over-the-counter medications may seem safer because they don't require a prescription. But they can still interact badly when alcohol enters the mix. The American Academy of Family Physicians mentions these popular medications that may have adverse effects if mixed with alcohol: NSAID pain relievers, which may lead to gastrointestinal bleeding if taken while consuming as few as two alcoholic drink per week. Acetaminophen, which may cause liver damage when taken with alcohol. Some OTC antihistamines can make you drowsy when taken with alcohol. Decongestants and cough medications that contain the cough suppressant dextromethorphan can increase drowsiness when taken with alcohol. Herbal supplements, such as kava kava, St. John's wort or valerian root, may increase drowsiness if taken with alcohol. Read more

Related support groups: Percocet, Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Norco, Lortab, Tylenol, Codeine, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Benadryl, Promethazine, Zyrtec, Voltaren, Advil

Over Half of Adverse Drug Reactions in Hospitals Are Preventable: Study

Posted 9 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Sept. 9 – More than one-half of all adverse drug reactions treated in hospitals and emergency care are preventable, according to a new study. In addition, prior research has shown that many preventable drug reactions – which include drug overdoses and internal bleeding associated with the improper use of blood thinners and painkillers – are life-threatening, said the Swedish researchers. This widespread problem, which is even more common among the elderly, has important implications for health care systems, they said. There are many reasons for the high numbers of preventable adverse drug reactions, according to Katja Hakkarainen, a pharmacist from the Nordic School of Public Health, Gothenburg. These may include "poor coordination of care, lack of time and knowledge among health professionals, and lack of patient education," she said in an International Pharmaceutical ... Read more

Related support groups: Suboxone, Methadone, Oxycodone, Percocet, OxyContin, Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Morphine, Norco, Fentanyl, Lortab, Subutex, Tylenol, Opana, Codeine

McNeil Consumer Healthcare Announces Plans for New Dosing Instructions for Tylenol Products

Posted 28 Jul 2011 by Drugs.com

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. ("McNeil") today announced plans for new dosing instructions lowering the maximum daily dose for single-ingredient Extra Strength Tylenol (acetaminophen) products sold in the U.S. from 8 pills per day (4,000 mg) to 6 pills per day (3,000 mg). The change is designed to help encourage appropriate acetaminophen use and reduce the risk of accidental overdose. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, can be found in more than 600 over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications, such as Tylenol, Sudafed Triple Action™, NyQuil, Percocet and Vicodin.* Acetaminophen is used by more than 50 million Americans each week to treat conditions such as pain, fever and aches and pains associated with cold and flu symptoms. "Acetaminophen is safe when used as directed," said Edwin K ... Read more

FDA Advisers Urge Infant Doses for Kids' OTC Fever Relievers

Posted 18 May 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, May 18 – U.S. health advisers recommended Wednesday that dosing instructions should be added to the labels of medicines containing the widely used pain reliever and fever reducer acetaminophen to better protect children under the age of 2. In a 21-0 vote, the panel of U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisers called for adding dosing information for children 6 months to 2 years old to over-the-counter medicines such as Children's Tylenol and similar products containing acetaminophen, the Associated Press reported. Currently, the labels of such medications have dosing instructions for children aged 2 and up. For kids under 2, the labels on the liquid medicines simply tell parents to "ask a doctor." The FDA advisers said the lack of specific dosing recommendations can lead to confusion, with parents unintentionally giving too much of the medicine to children under age 2. ... Read more

FDA Panels to Weigh Dosing Labels for Kids' OTC Fever Relievers

Posted 17 May 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 17 – Two U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committees plan to meet Tuesday and Wednesday to decide whether to recommend that the dosing instructions on the labels of medicines containing acetaminophen need to be fine-tuned to protect children under the age of 2 against possible liver failure and even death. Currently, the labels of such fever-reducing medications, which include Children's Tylenol, have dosing instructions for children aged 2 and up. For kids under 2, the labels simply tell parents to "ask a doctor." The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and drug manufacturers are both strongly in favor of giving parents the additional dosing information. "If we give parents better information, they will be able to give enough of the medicine to work well, at the same time minimizing the side effects," said Dr. Daniel Frattarelli, a pediatrician in Dearborn, ... Read more

Chronic Tylenol Use May Be Linked to Blood Cancer, Study Suggests

Posted 10 May 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 10 – Those who take acetaminophen – best known as Tylenol – regularly for some time might be putting themselves at an increased risk for developing certain blood cancers, University of Washington researchers report. The results of earlier studies looking at the association between over-the-counter painkillers or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and blood cancers have been mixed, but this study suggests a risk tied to acetaminophen, the scientists noted. "We found that high use of acetaminophen, one of the most frequently used medications worldwide, was associated with an almost twofold increased risk of incident hematologic malignancies," said lead researcher Dr. Roland Walter, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of hematology. The report was published in the May 9 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. While the research found a ... Read more

Drugmakers to End Infant Formulas of Products With Acetaminophen

Posted 5 May 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, May 5 – The makers of cold and fever medications that contain the painkiller acetaminophen said Wednesday night that they will discontinue infant-drops versions of the products to avoid confusion that might lead to overdoses, the Associated Press reported. Once production ends, later this year, the companies will sell just one formula for all children under the age of 12. Companies such as Johnson & Johnson currently sell infant versions of the drugs (80 milligrams) that contain half the amount of acetaminophen found in regular children's formulas, the news service said. Acetaminophen is a widely used drug found in a variety of products that helps to ease pain and reduce fever. Although it's usually safe if used according to directions, too much can damage the liver. Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of liver failure in the United States, with more than 50,000 ... Read more

Many Consumers Don't Know What's in Over-the-Counter Painkillers: Study

Posted 3 May 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 3 – Few Americans bother to read the labels on over-the-counter pain relievers, nor do they pay much attention to the drugs' ingredients, a new study says. This lack of awareness could be a main reason why acetaminophen overdose is a leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States, according to the researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is in more than 600 over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medicines. Researchers interviewed 45 people in six focus groups and found that only 31 percent knew that Tylenol contained acetaminophen, 19 percent realized Advil contained ibuprofen and about the same number knew that Aleve contained naproxen sodium. About 75 percent knew Bayer contained aspirin and 47 percent knew Motrin contained ibuprofen. Fewer than half – 41 percent – said they read the ingredients on ... Read more

Related support groups: Percocet, Vicodin, Norco, Lortab, Tylenol, Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Advil, Fioricet, Darvocet-N 100, Endocet, Aleve, Tylenol PM

FDA Bans Unapproved Prescription Cough, Cold and Allergy Meds

Posted 2 Mar 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, March 2 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it plans to remove about 500 unapproved prescription cough, cold, and allergy medicines from pharmacy shelves. These drugs have not been evaluated by the FDA for safety and effectiveness, and they may be riskier to take than approved over-the-counter (OTC) drugs that treat these same conditions, agency officials explained. "This action is necessary to protect consumers from the potential risks posed by unapproved drugs, because we don't know what's in them, whether they work properly or how they are made," Deborah M. Autor, director of the agency's Office of Compliance at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said during a morning news conference. Of particular concern are drugs that have time-release formulations, Autor said. "We know from experience that these type of products are complicated to ... Read more

Parents Still Giving Cough, Cold Meds to Kids Under 2: Poll

Posted 16 Feb 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 16 – Many American parents of children aged 2 and younger still give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to their kids despite U.S. Food and Drug Administration warnings to the contrary, researchers have found. In response to research linking over-the-counter (or OTC) cough and cold medicines to poisoning or death in hundreds of children ages 2 years and younger, the FDA said in 2008 that the products should not be given to children in this age group. In addition, studies have shown that these medicines have little benefit in controlling symptoms. A new national poll of over 300 parents of children ages 6 months to 2 years found that 61 percent of parents gave OTC cough and cold medicines to their children within the last 12 months. In addition, more than half of the parents said their child's doctor said the medicines are safe for children under 2 years, and ... Read more

FDA Limits Acetaminophen in Prescription Combination Products; Requires Liver Toxicity Warnings

Posted 13 Jan 2011 by Drugs.com

Agency strategy caps maximum at 325 milligrams to reduce risk of liver toxicity SILVER SPRING, Md., Jan. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking manufacturers of prescription combination products that contain acetaminophen to limit the amount of acetaminophen to no more than 325 milligrams (mg) in each tablet or capsule. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090824/FDALOGO) The FDA also is requiring manufacturers to update labels of all prescription combination acetaminophen products to warn of the potential risk for severe liver injury. Acetaminophen, also called APAP, is a drug that relieves pain and fever. It is combined in many prescription products with other ingredients, usually opioids such as codeine (Tylenol with Codeine), oxycodone (Percocet), and hydrocodone (Vicodin). "FDA is taking this action to make prescription combination ... Read more