Many hospital patients get too much acetaminophen

Genevra Pittman   Reuters, November 13, 2012  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – In a new study from two Boston hospitals, one in every 15 patients treated with acetaminophen got more than the maximum daily recommended dose at least once.  Acetaminophen – sold as Tylenol – is a common painkiller on its own, but also an ingredient in stronger narcotics such as Percocet and Vicodin. So without careful monitoring, it’s not always obvious how much a patient has taken.  To protect against liver damage from an acetaminophen overdose, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets the maximum daily dose at 4 grams for most people or 3 grams for people 65 and older and those with liver disease.  Dr. Robert Fontana, a liver specialist from the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, called the new findings “a bit alarming.”  Read more