Acetaminophen (Tylenol Ingredient) Continues To Kill

We just read of another incident in which an Atlanta area young man died as a result of an “overdose” of acetaminophen, the aspirin-free pain reliever found in Tylenol. Many people believe acetaminophen is one of the safest painkillers on the market. If used properly it is safe, but, it is also the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States.
Taking just slightly more than the maximum recommended dose for a few days can be toxic, even deadly.
We have previously blogged on these dangers, but feel the warnings are worth repeating.
Overdoses are common because people mistakenly feel they can disregard the dosage recommendation; and, acetaminophen is included as an ingredient in many other products. Many people unknowingly ingest large doses when they treat multiple health problems with several products, each of which contains acetaminophen.
In June of this year, realizing the increasing dangers posed by this drug, the Food and Drug Administration advisory committee proposed lowering the maximum single adult dose for over-the-counter products from 1,000 to 650 milligrams and the maximum daily dose to less than 4,000 milligrams. The committee also recommended either eliminating prescription acetaminophen combination products that contain prescription acetaminophen or labeling them with a black-box warning about the risk of liver damage.
Several other products under the Tylenol brand name contain acetaminophen. These include:
Backaid Maximum Strength Back Relief
Benadryl Severe Allergy Plus Headache Caplets
Benadryl Allergy Plus Cold Kapgels
Benadryl Allergy Plus Sinus Headache Kapgels
Contac Cold & Flu Day & Night Dual Formula Pack Caplets
DayQuil Cold & Flu Relief LiquiCaps
Excedrin (all products)
Midol Menstrual Complete and Midol Teen Formula
NyQuil Cold & Flu Relief and NyQuil Sinus
Pamprin Multi-Symptom and Pamprin Max
Sudafed (assorted products)
Theraflu Nighttime Severe Cold & Cough Packets
Theraflu Daytime Severe Cold & Cough Packets
Triaminic Multi-Symptom Fever
Triaminic Cough & Sore Throat
We urge you to carefully read the ingredients list of all over-the-counter drug products to see if they contain acetaminophen. If they do, restrict intake to the recommended doses. Avoid acetaminophen if you have liver disease or drink alcohol heavily. If you regularly take the drug, watch for signs of liver damage: dark urine, pale stool, right-upper abdominal pain and a yellowish tinge in the whites of eyes.
These simple precautions may save your life or the life of a loved one.