Acetaminophen (a∙SEET∙a∙MIN∙o∙fen) is an active ingredient in many over-the-counter and prescription medicines that help relieve pain and reduce fever. It is also combined with other active ingredients in medicines that treat colds, flu (Nyquil and Dayquil), allergy, cough, and sleeplessness. In prescription medicines, acetaminophen is found with other active ingredients to treat moderate to severe pain. Acetaminophen can cause serious liver damage if more than directed is used.

Dose Is Important!

Did you know that more than 600 over-the-counter and prescription medicines contain acetaminophen. Some medicines combine acetaminophen with other active ingredients to treat pain, symptoms of colds, flu, allergy, and sleeplessness. To find out if an over-the-counter medicine contains acetaminophen, look for “acetaminophen” on the Drug Facts label. If a prescription medicine contains acetaminophen, the label may not spell out the whole word or may have the abbreviation “APAP.”

Severe liver damage may occur and may lead to death if you take:

• more acetaminophen than directed
• more than one medicine containing acetaminophen
• acetaminophen while drinking three (3) or more alcoholic drinks every day.

Most healthy people can take acetaminophen safely by:

• not using more than one medicine containing acetaminophen in a day
• reading and following all the information on the medicine label, or the information given by your health care provider.

Ask your health care provider before using acetaminophen if you:

• have liver disease
• are taking the blood thinning drug warfarin (also known by the brand name Coumadin).

To take acetaminophen safely, make sure you understand:

• what other medications also contain acetaminophen such as Dayquil and Nyquil
• how much you can take at one time (dose)
• how many hours you must wait before taking another dose
• how many times you can take it each day
• when you should not take it and talk to your health care provider.

Too Much?

If you take too much acetaminophen you might have liver damage and not know it. Symptoms may not appear for days and early symptoms may seem like the flu, like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).

If you take too much acetaminophen, get medical help right away, even if you don’t feel sick.

For immediate help call: 973-655-5220 or 911

For more information:

• talk to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist
• visit FDA online at
• call FDA at 1-888-INFO-FDA

What’s In My Medicine?

What you may not realize is that more than 600 medications, both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC), contain the active ingredient acetaminophen, otherwise known as �ղ����ԴDZ�® to help relieve pain and reduce fever. Taken carefully and correctly, these medicines can be safe and effective. But taking too much acetaminophen can lead to severe liver damage and even death. Acetaminophen and alcohol may not be a good mix, either. If you drink three or more alcoholic drinks a day, be sure to talk to your health care professional before you use a medicine containing acetaminophen.

Tell Me More about Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen is a commonly used medication for relieving mild to moderate pain from headaches, muscle aches, menstrual periods, colds and sore throats, toothaches, backaches and to reduce fever. It is also used in combination medicines, which have more than one active ingredient to treat more than one symptom. Therefore, you should read the label and check to see if acetaminophen is an ingredient, if you are unsure ask your healthcare provider or a pharmacist.

How to keep safe and avoid exceeding the recommended dosage:

• Don’t take more than one OTC product containing acetaminophen
• Don’t take a prescription and an OTC product containing acetaminophen
• Don’t exceed the recommended dose on any product containing acetaminophen

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them in response to overuse and misuse of antibiotics. As a result resistant bacteria cause illnesses that were once easily cured. Antibiotic resistant bacteria are more often difficult to kill and more expensive to treat. In some cases these antibiotic resistant infections can lead to serious disability or even death.

Taking antibiotics for viral infections such as the common cold, most sore throats, bronchitis, sinus and ear infections are examples of how overuse of antibiotics can promote the spread of antibiotic resistance. So the next time you are sick, don’t be disappointed if antibiotics aren’t prescribed at first, it may one day save your life or someone else’s.