Acetaminophen Overdose

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 6, 2024.

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Acetaminophen overdose means you took more than is safe to take. It may also be called acetaminophen poisoning. Acetaminophen is called paracetamol in countries outside the United States. When used correctly, acetaminophen is a safe drug that decreases pain and fever. Many medicines contain acetaminophen, including some that you can buy without a prescription.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE:

Informed consent

is a legal document that explains the tests, treatments, or procedures that you may need. Informed consent means you understand what will be done and can make decisions about what you want. You give your permission when you sign the consent form. You can have someone sign this form for you if you are not able to sign it. You have the right to understand your medical care in words you know. Before you sign the consent form, understand the risks and benefits of what will be done. Make sure all your questions are answered.

You may need extra oxygen

if your blood oxygen level is lower than it should be. You may get oxygen through a mask placed over your nose and mouth or through small tubes placed in your nostrils. Ask your healthcare provider before you take off the mask or oxygen tubing.

Healthcare providers will check your vital signs.

Vital signs include blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and temperature. The providers will also ask about your pain.

A neurologic exam

can show healthcare providers how well your brain works after an injury or illness. A provider will check how your pupils react to light. The provider may check your memory and how easily you wake up. Your hand grasp and balance may also be tested.

An IV

is a small tube placed in your vein that is used to give you medicine or liquids.

A nasogastric (NG) tube

is put into your nose and threaded down into your stomach. The tube may be attached to suction to remove the acetaminophen from your stomach. Healthcare providers may also use the NG tube to give you medicine, such as activated charcoal.

A ventilator

is a machine that gives you oxygen and breathes for you when you cannot breathe well on your own. An endotracheal (ET) tube is put into your mouth or nose and attached to the ventilator. You may need a trach if an ET tube cannot be placed. A trach is a tube put through an incision and into your windpipe.

Tests:

• Blood tests may be used to check if the amount of acetaminophen in your blood is decreasing with treatment. Tests may be needed to measure how your liver and kidneys are working after an overdose. If your liver or kidneys are damaged, your healthcare provider may order more blood tests.
• A liver biopsy is used to check a sample of your liver for damage.

Treatment:

Treatment depends on how much time has passed since the overdose. Treatment also depends on whether the overdose happened all at one time or over a longer period of time. You may need any of the following:

• Activated charcoal helps to soak up the acetaminophen that is still in your stomach. Activated charcoal will make you vomit.
• Gastric lavage is also called having your stomach pumped. The healthcare provider will clean out your stomach to get rid of the acetaminophen.
• Emetics are medicines that cause you to vomit.
• Acetylcysteine is an antidote. If your body has already digested the acetaminophen, it stops the effect of the overdose. It also prevents some of the problems caused by an overdose.
• Cimetidine or another stomach medicine may be given to slow the effects of acetaminophen.

Treatment options

The following list of medications are related to or used in the treatment of this condition.

• acetylcysteine
• Acetadote

RISKS:

• If you have 3 or more drinks of alcohol every day or smoke cigarettes, an acetaminophen overdose could be more serious. Lower doses of acetaminophen (less than 4,000 milligrams) can be dangerous if you also take other medicines, herbs, or supplements. This is because some medicines cause acetaminophen to stay in your body longer than normal.
• Less than 4,000 milligrams is still enough to poison some people. This includes people who take acetaminophen every day or people who have liver disease. If your acetaminophen overdose is not treated, you could have liver damage or liver failure. Liver failure can be life-threatening. Sometimes the liver stops working completely, and the person needs a liver transplant. Liver failure could lead to a serious infection, kidney damage, bleeding problems, coma, brain injury, or death. Treatment for an acetaminophen overdose could save your life.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your healthcare providers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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