Is acetaminophen safe for your family?

Most likely you’ve heard the health reports: taking too much acetaminophen can cause liver damage. The message isn’t new, but federal officials are stepping up the reminders to go easy on the painkillers.

Don’t mix medications

Doctors often prescribe painkillers with acetaminophen after injuries, operations or dental procedures. When taken as directed, acetaminophen is a safe product.

The problem comes when people mix prescribed painkillers, such as Vicodin and Percocet, with over-the-counter medications. When mixing medications, the dosage of acetaminophen should not exceed a maximum dose of 4,000 milligrams within a 24-hour period.

While the product purchased in the store, such as Tylenol or Nyquil, is clearly labeled, the ingredients in prescription drugs are harder to identify. Often people are not aware that their prescription painkiller contains acetaminophen and they unintentionally mix it with other products. The result can be an accidental overdose and liver injury.

Drinking alcohol while taking medications with acetaminophen can also increase the risk of liver damage.

To help clear up any confusion, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a statement recently asking doctors to stop prescribing painkillers with more than 325 milligrams of acetaminophen. The FDA “is taking a major step” in trying to reduce liver failure cases that are caused by accidental overdose of acetaminophen.

FDA: Acetaminophen and Liver Injury: Q & A for Consumers

To avoid any potential liver problems, the FDA encourages patients to:

1. Carefully read all labels for prescription and OTC medications and ask if their prescription medicine contains acetaminophen.
2. Don't take more than one acetaminophen-containing product at one time and that includes OTC medications.
3. Don't take more than the maximum daily amount of 4 grams, or 4,000 milligrams, of acetaminophen a day.
4. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking acetaminophen.
5. Stop taking acetaminophen and seek medical help immediately if you experience allergic reactions such as rash, itching, swelling of the face and/or difficulty breathing.
6. Seek medical help right away if you think you have taken more than the directed dosage of acetaminophen.

The emergency physicians at McLaren Macomb are part of the hospital’s verified trauma team. As part of this national verification, the hospital offers ongoing injury prevention messages and workshops to the public.

Learn more about McLaren Macomb's Trauma program

In an emergency, it’s good to know that McLaren Macomb has trauma surgeons that are ready, 24 hours a day in-house. McLaren Macomb has one of the busiest emergency centers in the area, handling approximately 64,000 patient visits each year.