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When Tylenol does more than Relieve Pain

When it comes to everyday aches and pains, millions of Americans turn to Tylenol for relief. What many people don’t realize, though, is that if too much Tylenol is taken or it’s taken too often, there can be serious repercussions as a result of its key ingredient – acetaminophen.

Acetaminophen is a drug that is common in many over the counter medicines that are aimed at relieving pain and reducing fever. It can also be found in medicines for colds, flu, allergies, and sleeplessness. Though very effective at doing what it’s marketed to do, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found that if the dosage guidelines for the drug are not adhered to, severe liver damage or even death can occur.

According to a report by the FDA, acetaminophen is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the U.S. and leads to approximately 65,000 emergency room visits, 26,000 hospitalizations and 450 deaths every year. The report says that most cases of severe liver damage occurred when more than the prescribed dose was taken over a 24-hour period. Other cases were linked to people taking more than one product at a time containing the drug or drinking alcohol while on a medication with acetaminophen as one of the active ingredients.

Prescription medicines with acetaminophen in the ingredients include Vicodin, Percocet, and Codeine. Though most problems with acetaminophen are due to not adhering to the prescribed guidelines, people taking acetaminophen while fasting or not eating because of an illness can be at risk of liver damage even when correct doses are taken. This is most readily apparent in people who have a loss of appetite due to the flu or in people who are recovering from dental procedures.

In cases in which drugs containing acetaminophen, like Tylenol, have caused extensive liver damage or death, the victim or family may be able to pursue legal action to recover compensation.