Acetaminophen is a generic drug that ’s used to relieve pain and reduce fever in grownup and some child . Generally , most citizenry suffer acetaminophen well . But seldom , it can make serious side upshot , such as liver damage .
Acetaminophen is available as the brand - name drug Tylenol .
Acetaminophen comes as an unwritten pad , oral capsule , chewable pill , unwritten liquidness , and unwritten powder . Acetaminophen also comes in an injectable form and an over - the - counter ( OTC ) rectal suppository , but this article does not cover them .
say on to determine about potential plebeian , mild , and serious side effects of acetaminophen . For a general overview , including details about its manipulation , see this article onacetaminophen .
Acetaminophen: Mild side effects
Acetaminophen is typically well - suffer , and most multitude do n’t experience side effects . Although rare , some hoi polloi have experienced an supersensitive reaction to acetaminophen .
For more information , you’re able to touch on to acetaminophen ’s recording label information for theoral tab , oral capsule , chewable tablet , unwritten liquidity , andoral gunpowder . If you have side effects that do n’t go away or become severe , be indisputable to talk with your doctor or pharmacist .
Note : After the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) approves a drug , it tracks and reviews side effects of the medicament . If you get a side issue while taking acetaminophen and desire to tell the FDA about it , visitMedWatch .
Acetaminophen: Serious side effects
Acetaminophen may do serious side effect , although this is rare . The tilt below may not include all possible serious side result of the drug . For more data , you could refer to acetaminophen ’s label information for theoral tab , oral capsule , chewable pad , oral liquid state , andoral powder .
If you develop serious side effects while taking acetaminophen , call your doctor right away . If the side effects seem life story threatening or you think you ’re having a medical exigency , immediately call 911 or your local emergency number .
Serious side burden that have been report include :
For some people , acetaminophen can do anallergic chemical reaction .
In universal , symptoms of hypersensitised response can be mild or serious .
Ways to manage
For mild allergic reaction symptoms , such as a modest rash , call your doctor right on off . They may commend treatments to assist manage your symptom . They ’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication .
For severe allergic response symptom , such as swelling or trouble breathing , call 911 or your local emergency act flop away . These symptom require quick aesculapian care because they can become life history threaten . If you ’ve had a serious allergic reaction to acetaminophen , your medico may urge taking a different medication or else .
Acetaminophen: FAQ about side effects
Acetaminophen may cause several side effects . Here are some frequently asked questions about the drug ’s side effects and their answers .
Is acetaminophen safe for older adults?
Yes , acetaminophen is safe for sometime adults to take at approved dose . In fact , acetaminophen is commonly recommended as the first drug to exempt pain in sure-enough adult . This is because it may have few side effects than other pain relievers , such asnonsteroidal anti - incitive drug ( NSAIDs ) .
Although rare , the biggest fear with acetaminophen utilisation in old grownup is the risk of liver legal injury . It ’s crucial not to take more than the commend dosage of acetaminophen . If you have liver problems or other risk of exposure factors , be certain to tell your medico . They may advocate take up a lower dosage .
mouth with your Dr. if you have questions or business organisation about taking acetaminophen .
Can acetaminophen cause sleepiness?
No , it ’s unlikely that acetaminophen alone causes somnolence . Sleepiness has not been reported as a side upshot of acetaminophen in the recording label information for theoral tab , oral capsule , chewable tablet , oral liquid , ororal powder .
However , acetaminophen is often used in combination withantihistamines , including Tylenol PM and many cold and influenza products . Some antihistamine are recognize to get somnolence , so you may experience some sleepiness when taking these products .
If you have extra questions about acetaminophen and eternal sleep , talk with your doctor or pharmacist .
Can acetaminophen raise your blood pressure?
Possibly . In acetaminophen ’s prescribing info for theoral pad , oral capsule , chewable tablet , oral liquid , ororal gunpowder , there have n’t been any reports of increasedblood pressureas a side gist of the drug .
However , astudyfrom 2022 report that acetaminophen increased systolic stemma insistency ( the top figure ) by about 5 millimetre of mercury ( mm Hg ) in people with in high spirits parentage insistence who charter acetaminophen every day for 2 weeks .
People in the work took the maximal dosage of acetaminophen ( 4,000 mg per day ) . The study only included citizenry with high blood pressure . So it is n’t known whether acetaminophen increases blood pressure in people who do n’t already have high line of descent pressure . Also , most people do n’t take the maximum daily dose every day as people in the study did .
If you have high blood pressure level and have interrogation or concerns about taking acetaminophen , talk with your doctor or pill roller .
Acetaminophen: Side effect specifics
Learn more about some of the side effects that acetaminophen may make . To find out how often side force occurred in clinical trials , see the label information for acetaminophenoral pad of paper , oral condensation , cuttable tablet , oral liquid , andoral pulverisation .
Liver damage
Liver damage is a rare side effect of acetaminophen . It typically only materialise from taking too much acetaminophen .
The liver breaks down acetaminophen into several substances , which your body gets disembarrass of by the kidneys . However , one of those substances can be toxic when taken in larger amounts . Taking too much acetaminophen can go to a buildup of this harmful chemical substance in your system , which can cause wicked liver hurt .
Symptoms of liver impairment may include :
the great unwashed who have liver disease or booze three or more alcoholic beverages a daytime while taking acetaminophen may also be at an increased risk of liver damage .
Typically , acetaminophen taken at the recommended dosage does n’t make this side impression .
Be sure to pay attention to how much acetaminophen you ’re take , and do not take more than the recommended maximum day-after-day dosage , which is 3,250 mg per day . However , some product may have unlike recommendations , so be sure to check the recording label of your specific product .
Keep in mind that some other OTC or prescription drugs may also contain acetaminophen .
If you detect symptoms of liver damage , talk with your doc right away . If you think you ’ve taken too much acetaminophen , touch a Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical care directly . If you finger you ’re birth a aesculapian emergency , call 911 or your local emergency identification number .
Skin reactions
Acetaminophen can cause blizzard or serious skin reactions , although these are rare . Sometimes , a cutis skin rash can be a sign of a serious skin chemical reaction , such asStevens - Johnson syndrome . These reactions can occur at any time during treatment with acetaminophen .
Symptoms of a serious skin reaction may let in :
If you germinate a skin skin rash while take acetaminophen , even if it ’s mild , stop taking it and speak with your medico right forth . Serious skin reactions can turn serious quickly . Your doctor will recommend the best treatment for your rash .
Acetaminophen: Precautions
Before taking acetaminophen , discuss your health history with your doctor . Acetaminophen may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors sham your health . Be sure to talk with your physician if any of the following apply to you :
Note : Do not take acetaminophen for more than 10 daytime for pain or more than 3 sidereal day for febricity unless your physician enjoin it ’s all right to do so . Children 12 years of age and younger should not take acetaminophen for more than 5 days without aesculapian advice .
Disclaimer : Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct , comprehensive , and up to escort . However , this article should not be used as a backup for the cognition and expertise of a commissioned healthcare professional . You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication . The drug information contained herein is open to variety and is not mean to cover all potential usance , directions , precautions , warnings , drug interactions , allergic reaction , or adverse effects . The absence seizure of admonition or other info for a give drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is dependable , in effect , or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses .
