ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION Acetaminophen (called paracetamol outside the United States) is a popular and widely used analgesic and antipyretic agent. First synthesized in 1893, it was introduced for prescription use in the United States in 1955 and approved for over-the-counter use in 1960 (1). It is frequently combined with codeine or other analgesic agents, decongestants, and antihistamines. Over 300 different preparations are now available in the United States with more than one billion pills sold annually. Acetaminophen’s popularity has in part arisen from its apparent lack of side effects. Unlike aspirin and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) it does not cause gastric irritation or erosions. Although it is remarkably safe when used at usual therapeutic doses, it has a relatively narrow therapeutic window.
