Paracetamol Toxicity causes, symptoms complications

Acetaminophen (APAP) is one of the most commonly used analgesics and antipyretics. It is available in a variety of prescription, over-the-counter, and combination medications labeled for fever, cold, cough, and pain relief. As a result, it is the most common over-the-counter agent reported in accidental and intentional overdoses, leading to more hospitalizations after overdose than any other pharmaceutical agent. A toxic exposure to APAP is suspected when more than 200 mg/kg or more than 10 g is ingested in a single dose or over the course of 24 hours. In addition, an ingestion of more than 150 mg/kg or more than 6 g per day for at least 2 consecutive days is potentially toxic. Hepatotoxicity is the most life-threatening complication, but may be indolent; thus, serum APAP level and a precise time of ingestion are important to plot on a nomogram to assess likelihood of toxicity.