All Topics  
Tylenol

 
Tylenol

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Tylenol
 
 
  Topics Tylenol Topic Home

Tylenol is a North American brand
Brand

A brand is a collection of symbols, experiences and associations connected with a product, a service, a person or any other artifact or entity....
 of drug
Drug

A drug, broadly speaking, is any chemical substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function....
s for relieving pain
Analgesic

An analgesic is any member of the diverse group of Medication used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
, reducing fever
Fever

Fever is a frequent medical sign that describes an increase in internal body temperature to levels above normal. Fever is most accurately characterized as a temporary elevation in the body's thermoregulatory set-point, usually by about 1?2 ?C ....
, and relieving the symptoms of allergies
Allergy

Allergy is a Disorder of the immune system often also referred to as atopy. Allergic reactions occur to Natural environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are Acquired disorder, predictable and rapid....
, cold
Common cold

Acute viral rhinopharyngitis, or acute coryza, usually known as the common cold, is a highly contagious, virus infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by picornaviruses or coronaviruses....
, cough
Cough

A cough , in medicine, is a sudden and often repetitively occurring defense reflex which helps to clear the large breathing passages from excess secretions, irritants, foreign particles and microbes....
, and flu. The active ingredient of its original, flagship product, acetaminophen
Paracetamol

Paracetamol or acetaminophen is a widely used over-the-counter drug analgesic and antipyretic . It is commonly used for the relief of fever, headaches, and other minor aches and pains, and is a major ingredient in numerous common cold and Influenza remedies....
 (called "paracetamol" outside North America), is marketed for headache
Headache

In medicine a headache or wiktionary:cephalalgia is a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and sometimes neck. Some of the causes are benign while others are medical emergencies....
s, fever
Fever

Fever is a frequent medical sign that describes an increase in internal body temperature to levels above normal. Fever is most accurately characterized as a temporary elevation in the body's thermoregulatory set-point, usually by about 1?2 ?C ....
, muscle and body pain
Pain

Pain, in the sense of physical pain, is a typical sensory experience that may be described as the unpleasant awareness of a noxious stimulus or bodily harm....
, arthritis
Arthritis

Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years....
, and joint pain. Like the words "acetaminophen" and "paracetamol", the brand name is derived from the chemical name for the compound, N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP).






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Tylenol'
Start a new discussion about 'Tylenol'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Tylenol is a North American brand
Brand

A brand is a collection of symbols, experiences and associations connected with a product, a service, a person or any other artifact or entity....
 of drug
Drug

A drug, broadly speaking, is any chemical substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function....
s for relieving pain
Analgesic

An analgesic is any member of the diverse group of Medication used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
, reducing fever
Fever

Fever is a frequent medical sign that describes an increase in internal body temperature to levels above normal. Fever is most accurately characterized as a temporary elevation in the body's thermoregulatory set-point, usually by about 1?2 ?C ....
, and relieving the symptoms of allergies
Allergy

Allergy is a Disorder of the immune system often also referred to as atopy. Allergic reactions occur to Natural environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are Acquired disorder, predictable and rapid....
, cold
Common cold

Acute viral rhinopharyngitis, or acute coryza, usually known as the common cold, is a highly contagious, virus infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by picornaviruses or coronaviruses....
, cough
Cough

A cough , in medicine, is a sudden and often repetitively occurring defense reflex which helps to clear the large breathing passages from excess secretions, irritants, foreign particles and microbes....
, and flu. The active ingredient of its original, flagship product, acetaminophen
Paracetamol

Paracetamol or acetaminophen is a widely used over-the-counter drug analgesic and antipyretic . It is commonly used for the relief of fever, headaches, and other minor aches and pains, and is a major ingredient in numerous common cold and Influenza remedies....
 (called "paracetamol" outside North America), is marketed for headache
Headache

In medicine a headache or wiktionary:cephalalgia is a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and sometimes neck. Some of the causes are benign while others are medical emergencies....
s, fever
Fever

Fever is a frequent medical sign that describes an increase in internal body temperature to levels above normal. Fever is most accurately characterized as a temporary elevation in the body's thermoregulatory set-point, usually by about 1?2 ?C ....
, muscle and body pain
Pain

Pain, in the sense of physical pain, is a typical sensory experience that may be described as the unpleasant awareness of a noxious stimulus or bodily harm....
, arthritis
Arthritis

Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years....
, and joint pain. Like the words "acetaminophen" and "paracetamol", the brand name is derived from the chemical name for the compound, N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP). It is available over the counter
Over-the-counter drug

Over-the-counter drugs are medications that may be sold to a customer without a medical prescription. The term "over-the-counter" is somewhat counter-intuitive, since these items can often be found on the shelves of stores and bought like any other packaged product in some countries in contrast to prescription drug which are more likely to l...
 without prescription, has few side effects, and reacts with very few medications. However, it can cause liver, kidney, other organ damage, and have fatal interactions with alcohol and other substances, even in the recommended dosages. The brand is owned by McNeil Consumer Healthcare
McNeil Laboratories

McNeil Consumer Healthcare is an American pharmaceutical company and a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson....
.

History

The active substance of Tylenol, acetaminophen, was first used in medicine in 1894. Acetaminophen only gained widespread use after 1948, when scientists concluded that another popular drug, acetanilide
Acetanilide

Acetanilide is an odourless solid chemical of leaf or flake-like appearance. It is also known as N-phenylacetamide, acetanil, or acetanilid, and was formerly known by the trade name Antifebrin....
, was toxic and that the same therapeutic effect could be safely achieved with acetaminophen, which was already known to be a metabolite
Metabolite

Metabolites are the intermediates and products of metabolism. The term metabolite is usually restricted to small molecules. A primary metabolite is directly involved in normal growth, development, and reproduction....
 of acetanilide.

James Roth, a U.S. gastroenterologist
Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine whereby the digestive system and its disorders are studied. Etymology, the name is a combination of three Ancient Greek words gastros , enteron , and logos ....
, advocated paracetamol as a safer alternative to aspirin
Aspirin

Aspirin , also known as acetylsalicylic acid , is a salicylate medication, often used as an analgesic to relieve minor aches and pains, as an antipyretic to reduce fever, and as an anti-inflammatory medication....
, which was shown to have some negative effects
Adverse drug reaction

An adverse drug reaction or adverse drug event is an expression that describes the unwanted, negative consequences associated with the use of given medications....
. Roth was also principal consultant to McNeil Laboratories
McNeil Laboratories

McNeil Consumer Healthcare is an American pharmaceutical company and a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson....
. In 1953 McNeil Laboratories introduced Algoson, a preparation containing paracetamol together with sodium butabarbital
Butabarbital

Butabarbital is a prescription barbiturate Sedative. Butabarbital has a particularly fast onset of effects and short duration of action compared to other barbiturates, which makes it useful for certain applications such as treating severe insomnia and relieving anxiety before surgical procedures; however it is also relatively dangerous parti...
, a sedative. In 1955 McNeil Laboratories introduced Tylenol Elixir for children, which contained paracetamol as its sole active ingredient. It was originally marketed mainly towards children, but soon came to dominate the North American pain-killer market. There are a number of different varieties of Tylenol available today including extra-strength (with 500 milligrams of acetaminophen), children's doses, longer-lasting, and sleep aiding (in combination with diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine

Diphenhydramine hydrochloride , trade name Benadryl as produced by McNeil Laboratories a division of J&J, or Dimedrol outside the U.S....
). In 2005 Tylenol Ultra was introduced in Canada, with 500 mg of acetaminophen and 65 mg of caffeine
Caffeine

Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a psychoactive stimulant drug and a mild diuretic. Caffeine was discovered by a German chemist, Friedrich Ferdinand Runge, in 1819....
; caffeine has vasoconstricting
Vasoconstriction

Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels, particularly the large arteries, arterioles and veins....
 effects, for which there is some disputed evidence for additional effectiveness. The patent on paracetamol has expired, and the continued successes of Tylenol brand preparations are largely due to marketing, the backing of Johnson & Johnson, and new patented delivery mechanisms such as quick-release and extended-release forms of the medication.

On September 29, 1982, a "Tylenol scare"
1982 Chicago Tylenol murders

The Chicago Tylenol murders occurred when seven people died after taking pain-relief capsules which had been poisoned. The Tylenol poisonings, code-named TYMURS by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, took place in the autumn of 1982 in the Chicago metropolitan area in the United States....
 began when the first of seven individuals died in metropolitan Chicago, after ingesting Extra Strength Tylenol that had been deliberately contaminated with cyanide
Cyanide

A cyanide is any chemical compound that contains the nitrile , which consists of a carbon atom chemical bond to a nitrogen atom. Inorganic cyanides are hydrogen cyanide salts in which cyanide is generally the anion CN-....
. The crime was never solved and Tylenol sales temporarily collapsed, but the brand was rebuilt and recovered in a few years. At the request of later Chairman, Joseph Chiesa, new product consultant Calle & Company rescued the brand with the invention of the first inherently tamper-proof [enrobed] capsule, Tylenol Gelcaps, recapturing the 92% of capsule segment sales lost after the cyanide incident. The scare led to the introduction of tamper-evident
Tamper-evident

Tamper-evident describes a device or process that makes unauthorized access to the protected object easily detected. Seals, markings or other techniques may be tamper indicating....
 packaging and "gelcaps" across the over-the-counter drug
Over-the-counter drug

Over-the-counter drugs are medications that may be sold to a customer without a medical prescription. The term "over-the-counter" is somewhat counter-intuitive, since these items can often be found on the shelves of stores and bought like any other packaged product in some countries in contrast to prescription drug which are more likely to l...
 (OTC) and prescription drug
Prescription drug

A prescription drug is a medication that is regulated by legislation to require a medical prescription before it can be obtained. The term is used to distinguish it from over-the-counter drugs which can be obtained without a prescription....
 industry.

Tylenol remains a top seller, controlling about 35% of the pain killer market in North America., yet acetaminophen overdose is responsible for more ER visits than any other medicine on the market.

Dangers

Acetaminophen causes three times as many cases of liver failure as all other drugs combined, and is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States, accounting for 39% of cases. While it occurs through overdosing, even recommended doses especially combined with even small amounts of alcohol, have caused irreversible liver failure.

Acetaminophen is metabolized in the liver, resulting in a by-product, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI), that can damage liver cells, but is typically converted into a harmless substance by an antioxidant glutathione. However, large doses of acetaminophen overwhelms the body's supply of glutathione, resulting in destruction of the liver cells.

People who have the highest risk for Acetaminophen related kidney failure include: heavy drinkers (three or more drinks per day), elderly men, and persons with pre-existing liver or kidney damage. In infants and small children, studies have indicated that the toxic dose is less than twice the recommended dose..

A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2006 suggests problems even in healthy people taking the pain reliever as directed. Healthy adults taking maximum doses of Tylenol for two weeks had abnormal liver test results. Dr. Neil Kaplowitz of the University of Southern California, co-author of the study, said, "I would urge the public not to exceed four grams a day. This is a drug that has a rather narrow safety window..."

According to a preliminary study conducted by the University of Washington, mixing acetaminophen and caffeine may cause liver damage, especially in heavy caffeine drinkers. Researchers discovered that caffeine can triple the amount of N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI), the dangerous by-product which destroys liver cells. . This reaction can also be caused by large doses of painkillers that combine caffeine and acetaminophen (e.g., Anacin, Excedrin & Midol). These products are often used to treat migraines and menstrual discomfort. Dr. Sid Nelson, a professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Washington said, "Caffeine can interact with an enzyme that can form a toxic metabolite of acetaminophen in such a way that it increases the formation of that toxic metabolite,"

Symptoms from an overdose of acetaminophen typically appear after 24 hours, or in some cases up to 48 hours; however, getting immediate treatment prior to symptoms occurring, can greatly improve the outcome. The antidote to acetaminophen overdose, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), is most effective when taken within eight-hours of an overdose. Due to the delayed symptoms and the importance of immediate treatment, overdoses of acetaminophen kill about 12% of those who seek treatment. Typical symptoms range from nausea and malaise to extreme upper abdominal pain in the region of the liver.

Tylenol is only one among many popular medications containing acetaminophen, but few users realize that it is contained in hundreds of other pain relievers and cold remedies, and that combined usage has a cumulative effect. Fifteen percent of accidental overdoses involve the simultaneous use of more than one product containing acetaminophen. Products from common brands include acetaminophen: Excedrin, Midol, Theraflu, Alka-Seltzer and NyQuil, as well as prescription narcotics such as Vicodin and Percocet. Following the recommended dosages for each, but in combination can far exceed safe limits for acetaminophen intake. The manufacturers of Tylenol recommend, "You should not take two or more products that contain acetaminophen at the same time."

Tylenol products


Tylenol sells products to relieve pain, allergies
Allergy

Allergy is a Disorder of the immune system often also referred to as atopy. Allergic reactions occur to Natural environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are Acquired disorder, predictable and rapid....
, and cold
Common cold

Acute viral rhinopharyngitis, or acute coryza, usually known as the common cold, is a highly contagious, virus infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by picornaviruses or coronaviruses....
- and flu- related symptoms. Allergy and cold products also contain dextromethorphan
Dextromethorphan

Dextromethorphan is an antitussive drug. It is one of the active ingredients used to prevent coughs in many Over-the-counter drug common cold and cough medicines....
, antihistamine
Antihistamine

An H1 antagonist is a histamine antagonist of the histamine H1 receptor that serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergy....
s, and expectorants. A class of stronger pain relievers contains codeine
Codeine

Codeine or methylmorphine is an opiate used for its analgesic, Cough medicine and Antidiarrhoeal properties. It is by far the most widely used opiate in the world and probably the most commonly used drug overall according to numerous reports over the years by organizations such as the World Health Organization and its League of Nations...
: Tylenol 1 (available in Canada without a prescription) contains 325mg acetaminophen, 15mg caffeine and 8mg codeine; Tylenol 2 contains 300mg acetaminophen and 15mg codeine, Tylenol 3 (300mg/30mg), and Tylenol 4 (300mg/60mg). Acetaminophen is also found in other narcotic-based analgesic
Analgesic

An analgesic is any member of the diverse group of Medication used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
s such as Percocet which contains oxycodone
Oxycodone

Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic medication synthesized from opium-derived thebaine. It was developed in 1916 in Germany, as one of several new semi-synthetic opioids with several benefits over the older traditional opiates and opioids; morphine, diacetylmorphine and codeine....
.

Unlike NSAIDs, acetaminophen is not particularly effective against pain from inflammatory disorders, since it doesn't reduce the underlying inflammation.

The normal maximum dose for acetaminophen per day is 65 mg/kg or 4 grams per day, whichever is less. However; there are cases where acute hypotoxicity has been linked to amounts lower than 2.5 grams per day. Certain patients, such as those taking medications processed by the liver or suffering from diseases of the liver (e.g., Hepatitis A, B, or C), may for safety need to take far lower dosages. Acetaminophen should not be used for over two weeks without seeking medical advice.

It is essential to avoid excessive amounts of acetaminophen as this may cause damage to the liver or kidneys; in particular, users should be aware of the risk of taking different preparations which each contain an acceptable dose of acetaminophen, but which together produce an overdose.
Tylenol PM
Tylenol PM is the trademark
TradeMark

TradeMark is a tall, primarily residential, skyscraper in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was completed in 2007 and has 28 floors. There are 200 hundred residential units....
 for a mixture of paracetamol
Paracetamol

Paracetamol or acetaminophen is a widely used over-the-counter drug analgesic and antipyretic . It is commonly used for the relief of fever, headaches, and other minor aches and pains, and is a major ingredient in numerous common cold and Influenza remedies....
 (acetaminophen) and diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine

Diphenhydramine hydrochloride , trade name Benadryl as produced by McNeil Laboratories a division of J&J, or Dimedrol outside the U.S....
, distributed by Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson is a global United States pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
. It is marketed as a combined analgesic
Analgesic

An analgesic is any member of the diverse group of Medication used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
 and sedative
Sedative

A sedative is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement.At higher doses it may result in slurred speech, staggering gait , poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes....
, intended to treat occasional headaches and minor aches and pains with accompanying sleeplessness. It is listed as non-habit forming. Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine
Antihistamine

An H1 antagonist is a histamine antagonist of the histamine H1 receptor that serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergy....
 utilized as the active ingredient in Benadryl
Benadryl

Benadryl, is a brand name allergy medicine manufactured by McNeil Healthcare Limited. Benadryl is used as an antihistamine for the temporary relief of seasonal and perennial allergy symptoms....
 and Benylin
Benylin

File:Benylin logo.png Benylin is a brand name owned by Johnson and Johnson for a range of cough, cold, and flu medications. The flagship cough syrup and cold care brand is marketed in several countries as Benylin DM, for its active ingredient, dextromethorphan....
, which is used in cough and cold therapy as an anti-cough (anti-tussive) medication.

See also

  • List of paracetamol brand names
    List of paracetamol brand names

    References* ...
  • 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders
    1982 Chicago Tylenol murders

    The Chicago Tylenol murders occurred when seven people died after taking pain-relief capsules which had been poisoned. The Tylenol poisonings, code-named TYMURS by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, took place in the autumn of 1982 in the Chicago metropolitan area in the United States....


External links