AP Photo
On June 30, 2009, a federal advisory board voted to recommend that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ban Percocet and Vicodin. These medications are combinations of opioids (strong pain medications) with acetaminophen, the active ingredient in pain reliever Tylenol. Both medications working together often do a better job of controlling pain than either one alone.
Percocet and Vicodin contain 325mg to 750 mg acetaminophen per tablet, depending upon the specific preparation that is ordered for you. The maximum recommended dose of acetaminophen is 4,000 mg a day and some recommend only 3,000 mg a day for a person over the age of 60. If you have liver disease, 2,000 mg or less a day is recommended.
The FDA committee will discuss acetaminophen further on September 30 to allow time for public comment, which can be submitted online. You can also obtain the background information the committee used to make their recommendations.
Acetaminophen is the most commonly used medication to relieve pain. In 2005 over 28 billion doses were sold, many in over-the-counter preparations. Between 1990 and 1998 there were approximately 56,000 emergency department visits, 26,000 hospitalizations, and 458 deaths per year linked to acetaminophen use.
The liver metabolizes (breaks down) most medications. The problem is that one of the resulting chemicals from metabolizing acetaminophen is toxic to the liver. The more acetaminophen you take, the more the toxin builds up and the more likely it is to cause damage.
Often the acetaminophen in a prescribed pain killer is a relatively safe amount. One problem with acetaminophen is that it is present in many combination medications that you can purchase in the store without a prescription. Many people take too much because they don’t realize that the cold or allergy medication they are taking also contains acetaminophen.
Here are some over-the-counter medications that contain acetaminophen:
Tylenol PM®
Benadryl® Severe Allergy and Sinus Headache Maximum Strength Caplets®
Excedrin® Aspirin-Free Caplets®
Pamprin® Maximum Pain Relief Caplets®
Sinarest® No Drowsiness Tablets
Sudafed® Sinus & Headache Caplets®
Tylenol® Sinus Medication
This is a partial list. A more comprehensive list can be found at this link.
The FDA could ban Vicodin and Percocet or recommend reducing the amount of acetaminophen in each tablet. They could also reduce the recommended maximum daily limits.
If you have any questions about whether a prescription medication you take contains acetaminophen ask the prescriber. If you are not certain whether an over-the-counter you want to purchase contains acetaminophen, ask the pharmacist at the store.
For the Food Drug Administration Consumer Q&A on acetaminophen
Medline Plus drug information on acetaminophen
Comments