FDA Looks Closely at Drug Overdoses

When you think of a drug overdose, you may think of a rock star strung out on heroin or a celebrity found unresponsive amidst multiple prescription bottles. However, recently the FDA has begun to consider drug overdoses that come from a more unlikely source: over-the-counter pain relief.

A recent Time Magazine article detailed the FDA's scrutiny of over-the-counter medication labels of drugs such as acetaminophen, commonly used both for fever reduction and pain relief. One of the potential risks of chronic acetaminophen use is liver damage, however there may be a risk with occasional use as well. Acetaminophen is sometimes taken with other over-the-counter or prescription drugs that contain more acetaminophen, boosting the daily intake over four grams, the maximum amount considered to be safe per day. Any more than that, the FDA points out, can lead to potentially fatal liver damage.

Many other over-the-counter pain relievers have also been under scrutiny lately, particularly NSAIDs, for their potentially serious gastrointestinal effects. Acetaminophen and NSAIDs are some of the most commonly used medications for pain control, including both acute pain and chronic pain.

By bringing these issues to the public's attention, I hope the FDA succeeds in preventing some potentially deadly over-the-counter drug interactions. We are so used to just taking a pill when we get a headache or a backache, that we often don't stop to consider the consequences of long-term use. Or, we don't think about the potential interaction with other medications we take regularly. Based on these recent findings, it's time we pay closer attention!