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Definition  

Acetaminophen is a common over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicine. Tylenol is one brand of this medication. Acetaminophen poisoning is an overdose of this medication. It can cause damage to the liver.

The overdose may happen as an accident or an intentional overdose. This can be a serious condition that will need care from a doctor.

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Causes  

Acetaminophen poisoning may occur as a result of one large dose or several small overdoses over a long period of time. An overdose of acetaminophen can result from:

  • Intentional overdose such as a suicide attempt
  • Accidental overdose—may occur with unsupervised children, adults with altered judgment, or adults abusing alcohol
  • Use of combinations of different medicines that contain acetaminophen

Certain chronic diseases can make you more vulnerable to this type of overdose. For example, people with liver damage can have acetaminophen poisoning at lower doses. Poisoning can also happen if acetaminophen is taken along with other substances that harm the liver, like alcohol.

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Risk Factors  

Factors that may increase your risk of developing acetaminophen poisoning include:

  • Heavy alcohol use
  • Using multiple medicines that contain acetaminophen
  • Suicidal behavior
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Jaundice Skin from Damaged Liver  
Jaundice adult with label

Healthy liver on the left compared to diseased liver on the right that has caused jaundice of the skin.

Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Symptoms  

At first, a person with acetaminophen poisoning may have no symptoms.

When symptoms develop, they can include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Symptoms of liver failure:
    • Anorexia —no interest in eating
    • Nausea
    • Vomiting
    • Malaise
    • Abdominal pain (especially in the upper right portion of the abdomen)
    • Excessive sweating
    • Jaundice
    • Confusion, stupor
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Diagnosis  

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. Blood tests may be done to:

  • Determine the level of acetaminophen in your blood
  • Check liver function
  • Assess the effect on the liver
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Treatment  

Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Treatment options include:

Monitoring  

People with low levels of acetaminophen in the blood may only need to be monitored. If symptoms develop or worsen other treatments may be started.

Activated Charcoal  

Activated charcoal is taken by mouth. The charcoal can help block the absorption of acetaminophen. It will not affect the medication that is already in the body.