Acetaminophen Use Limited Due to Liver Risks

Doctors are now being urged by the US regulators to avoid prescribing drugs that contain over 325 milligrams of acetaminophen owing to the liver damage it may cause.

Prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and Percocet, can contain acetaminophen and may be dangerous if taken with other popular pain-relievers, like Tylenol, or with alcohol.

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"There are no available data to show that taking more than 325 milligrams of acetaminophen per dosage unit provides additional benefit that outweighs the added risks for liver injury," the Food and Drug Administration said.

"Limiting the amount of acetaminophen per dosage unit will reduce the risk of severe liver injury from inadvertent acetaminophen overdose, which can lead to liver failure, liver transplant, and death."

The maximum dose per day for adults is 4,000 milligrams.

A Link Between Acetaminophen and Liver Damage
Efforts to develop a safer form of acetaminophen — one of the most widely used drugs to reduce pain and fever, have led to discovery of substances that may have less potentially toxic effects on the liver.

To avoid exceeding that level, the FDA called on patients to refrain from taking more than one drug at a time containing acetaminophen, and to avoid such medicines if they drink more than three alcoholic beverages daily.

The FDA also recommended that health care providers consider prescribing combination drug products that contain 325 milligrams or less of acetaminophen, known as paracetamol outside North America.

Combining Acetaminophen With Even Small Amount of Alcohol Increases Risk of Kidney Dysfunction
Combining acetaminophen with alcohol increases the risk of kidney dysfunction even if the amount consumed is low, a new study reveals.

The FDA asked prescription drug manufacturers in 2011 to limit the amount of acetaminophen to no more than 325 milligrams in each tablet or capsule in order to protect consumers.

As of January 14, more than half have voluntarily complied, the agency said.

Still, "inadvertent overdose" from prescription combination drugs containing acetaminophen make up about half of all cases of acetaminophen-related liver failure in the nation, the FDA said.

Source-AFP