Originally published January 1 2006
Medical researchers claim Tylenol overdoses are responsible for increasing liver failure
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Anne Larson, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington, was among researchers conducting a study that found overdoses of Tylenol responsible for the rise in cases of liver failure.
That overdose risk is well-known and noted on Tylenol's label.
Now, a new study shows a rise in cases of acute (sudden) liver failure reportedly linked to Tylenol overdoses.
The researchers included Anne Larson, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington.
Their report, published in Hepatology, states that the maximum recommended daily dose of acetaminophen is 4 grams.
Check the labels of any over-the-counter drugs you're taking to see how much acetaminophen each pill contains and read up on the products' warnings.
During that time, 662 patients met the reseachers' criteria for acute liver failure.
The researchers determined that a little less than half of those cases (42 percent, or 275 people) were linked to acetaminophen overdoses.
Patients' intentions weren't clear in 8% of the cases, the study shows.
The patients who unintentionally took too much Tylenol had some things in common.
More than a third (38 percent) simultaneously took at least two products containing acetaminophen.
An example might be a combination medication such as Sudafed Severe Cold or Tylenol Cold & Flu.
Tylenol's web site tells patients taking more than one over-the-counter medication to check the products' active ingredients.
"Do not take two medicines with the same active ingredient at the same time unless instructed to do so by your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional," states Tylenol's web site.
The FDA predicts 458 deaths per year in the U.S. from acetaminophen-related acute liver failure, note Larsen and colleagues.
They suggest more education for doctors, pharmacists, and consumers about avoiding acetaminophen overdoses.
"The adoption of these broader criteria almost certainly resulted in the inclusion of some cases that were not truly related to acetaminophen," writes editorialist John O'Grady, MD, FRCPI.
O'Grady predicts "potential benefits" from educational initiatives about safe use of acetaminophen.
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