Acetaminophen News and Research

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The pain-reliever acetaminophen (also known as paracetomol) is one of the best-selling over-the-counter medications, used by more than 200 million Americans a year. It is sold under many brand names, including Tylenol, and is an ingredient in nearly 200 medications, both over-the-counter (such as Excedrin, Midol, NyQuil, and Sudafed) and prescription (such as Vicodin).

Dying at home in an opioid crisis: Hospices grapple with stolen meds

Nothing seemed to help the patient — and hospice staff didn't know why. They sent home more painkillers for weeks. But the elderly woman, who had severe dementia and incurable breast cancer, kept calling out in pain.

22 Aug 2017

Postoperative patients use fewer opioid medications than prescribed after hernia surgery

A study by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital and Newton-Wellesley Hospital found that patients prescribed opioid medications after inguinal (groin) hernia surgery used significantly fewer tablets than prescribed, even though they had received fewer than typically administered for such surgery.

9 Aug 2017

Researchers reveal prevalence of unused prescription opioids following surgery

In a review of half a dozen published studies in which patients self-reported use of opioids prescribed to them after surgery, researchers at Johns Hopkins report that a substantial majority of patients used only some or none of the pills, and more than 90 percent failed to dispose of the leftovers in recommended ways.

2 Aug 2017

Study analyzes exposures to medication errors resulting in serious medical outcomes

Every 21 seconds someone in the United States calls Poison Control because of a medication error. A new study from the Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital analyzed calls to Poison Control Centers across the country over a 13-year period about exposures to medication errors which resulted in serious medical outcomes.

10 Jul 2017

New single probe method provides PCR-free detection of microRNA linked to liver toxicity

Quanterix Corporation, a company digitizing biomarker analysis with the goal of advancing the science of precision health, and DestiNA Genomics Ltd, a manufacturer of patented reagents for nucleic acid detection, today announced that PLOS ONE has published a proof-of-concept single probe method for detecting microRNA biomarkers associated with liver toxicity.

6 Jul 2017

Study shows septic systems as important sources of emerging contaminants in drinking water

A new analysis shows that septic systems in the United States routinely discharge pharmaceuticals, consumer product chemicals, and other potentially hazardous chemicals into the environment.

27 Jun 2017

Prenatal exposure to pain-relieving drug can impair development of male behavior

Paracetamol is popular for relieving pain. But if you are pregnant, you should think twice before popping these pills according to the researchers in a new study.

22 Jun 2017

Acetaminophen may be effective treatment option for acute mountain sickness

Trekking and mountain climbing are quickly growing in popularity, but.one of the challenges that climbers face is acute mountain sickness (AMS). Previous studies have shown that ibuprofen is an effective way to reduce the risk of AMS.

19 Jun 2017

Fever during pregnancy linked to autism risk

According to a new study children born to mothers who have had any kind of fever during pregnancy are at a slightly higher risk of developing and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

14 Jun 2017

Summer perils and ways to avoid, treat them

Summer can bite. It can burn or itch. It can make you extremely sick…or worse.

27 May 2017

Study aims to find if IV acetaminophen can lead to lower doses of opioids after hip replacement surgery

When considering joint replacement, many patients worry about how much pain they'll experience after surgery. It's a valid concern. Pain control is important not only to avoid discomfort.

26 May 2017

Findings could lead to new treatments for people who overdose on popular pain reliever

Results from a new study show that after an acetaminophen overdose the p53 protein plays a key role in preventing the progression of liver damage and signaling the liver to repair itself.

27 Apr 2017

Study unravels mysteries behind cause of acute liver failure

Twenty years ago, the federal government funded the study of a condition quietly killing hundreds of Americans a year - acute liver failure, or ALF. Growing evidence had linked ALF to overdoses of acetaminophen, the popular over-the-counter pain medication many viewed as harmless at the time.

29 Mar 2017

Using common pain relievers during acute respiratory infection linked to increased heart attack risk

Widely used pain relievers may increase the risk of a heart attack when used during a cold or flu-like illness, according to a new study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

2 Feb 2017

Study investigates use of glucose to shorten induced labor in nulliparous woman

In a study to be presented Thursday, Jan. 26, in the oral concurrent session at 1:15 p.m. PST, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, researchers with the Université de Sherbrooke in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada will present their findings in a study titled, Reduction of total labor length through the addition of parenteral dextrose solution in induction of labor in nulliparous: results of DEXTRONS prospective randomized controlled trial.

23 Jan 2017

Researchers uncover new pathway in the body that stimulates liver repair

A team of Michigan State University researchers, led by James Luyendyk in the College of Veterinary Medicine, has uncovered a new pathway in the body that stimulates liver repair.

19 Jan 2017

FDA expands approved use of G5 Mobile Continuous Glucose Monitoring System

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved use of Dexcom's G5 Mobile Continuous Glucose Monitoring System to allow for replacement of fingerstick blood glucose (sugar) testing for diabetes treatment decisions in people 2 years of age and older with diabetes.

21 Dec 2016

Researchers discover new pathway that opens door to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Researchers from the University of South Carolina, Duke University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Metabolon Inc. Research Triangle Park have discovered a new pathway in the liver that opens the door to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition that affects up to 25 percent of the population and may lead to cirrhosis and eventually liver cancer or failure, and likely other liver diseases.

9 Dec 2016

Over-the-counter and prescription pain medications linked to drug-induced liver injury

More than 1,000 medications, with acetaminophen being the most common, have been associated with drug-induced liver injury.

30 Nov 2016

Researchers develop virtual liver model to better understand metabolism of non-prescription painkiller

Researchers at Indiana University's Biocomplexity Institute have developed a virtual model of the human liver to better understand how the organ metabolizes acetaminophen, a common non-prescription painkiller and fever-reducer used in over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol.

29 Nov 2016