Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is a painkiller and fever reducer used to treat mild to moderate pain. Acetaminophen is sold over the counter (OTC) by various companies under various names with the most notable being Tylenol. The drug is also sold OTC co-formulated in many medications including cold medications, menstrual cramping medications, and various other painkillers. The drug is also sold co-formulated with various painkillers by prescription only including oxycodone, NORCO, Tylox, and many more.

The drug gained widespread usage and popularity in the 1960s when it was marketed as a less toxic pain killer and fever reducer as opposed to Aspirin. Acetaminophen is used by approximately 23% of Americans each week (Slone, JAMA) and is available in over 600 medications OTC and by prescription (Perneger, et.al, NEJM).

APAP

History of Acetaminophen

1893- The white, odorless crystal compound is discovered at the University of Strasburg by Adolf Kussmaul and his team. used it to treat patients with naphthalene

Sources

Articles on Acetaminophen toxicity

Mechanisms of Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Necrosis

https://ccforum.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/cc1475

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hep.20293/full

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544319115308475

Millions of America adults (23 percent) use acetaminophen in a given week. (Slone, JAMA 2002)

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paul_Whelton/publication/15230598_Perneger_TV_Whelton_PK_Klag_MJ_Risk_of_kidney_failure_associated_with_the_use_of_acetaminophen_aspirin_and_nonsteroidal_anti-inflammatory_drugs_N_Engl_J_Med_331_1675-1679/links/54a867520cf256bf8bb7e2e8/Perneger-TV-Whelton-PK-Klag-MJ-Risk-of-kidney-failure-associated-with-the-use-of-acetaminophen-aspirin-and-nonsteroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs-N-Engl-J-Med-331-1675-1679.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5958229_Acetaminophen_paracetamol_is_a_selective_cyclooxygenase-2_inhibitor