Tylenol (Acetaminophen) Liver Damage

• "Is it safe for me to take Tylenol?"
• Do the recommended doses of Tylenol cause any liver damage?
• Why should we know that the generic name of Tylenol is acetaminophen?
• Just how much acetaminophen is safe to take?
• How is acetaminophen processed (metabolized) in the body?
• How does an overdose of acetaminophen cause liver injury?
• Is overdose with acetaminophen usually accidental or intentional?
• How can accidental overdose be avoided in adults?
• How can overdose be avoided in children?
• What happens to a person with acetaminophen-induced liver damage?
• What should be done if acetaminophen toxicity is suspected?
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Liver Damage At A Glance

"Is it safe for me to take Tylenol?"

Tylenol is currently the most popular painkiller in the United States. Americans take over 8 billion pills (tablets or capsules) of Tylenol each year. Acetaminophen is the general (generic) name for Tylenol, which is a brand name. Although acetaminophen is contained in over 200 medications, most of them do not have the name "Tylenol" on their labels. Moreover, just about every patient with liver disease in my practice invariably asks: "Is it safe for me to take Tylenol?" or "How much Tylenol can I take?" These questions highlight the public's awareness of the potential for acetaminophen to cause liver damage or injury.

Tylenol is a very effective pain-killing (analgesic) and fever-reducing (anti-pyretic) agent. It is also a very safe drug as long as the recommended dosage is not exceeded. In fact, the use of Tylenol instead of aspirin to treat fevers in infants has greatly reduced the occurrence of Reye's syndrome, an often fatal form of liver failure. Ironically, however, taking too much Tylenol (an overdose) can also cause liver failure, although by a different process (mechanism), as discussed below.

From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com

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