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FDA Warns about Painkiller Risk
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Bold warnings on everyday painkillers will help alert users to their risks, according to an FDA announcement. The proposed warnings come in the wake of concerns about the serious health risks associated with pain medication overuse......
The new labels will warn users about the potential for liver failure from acetaminophen and gastrointestinal side effects from medications like aspirin and ibuprofen....
While the drugs are generally very safe when taken as prescribed and are used by millions each year, hundreds of people die annually from acute liver failure. This is from overuse or by unwittingly combining multiple medications containing acetaminophen to treat different ailments.....
In addition to deaths from acute liver failure, acetaminophen is the leading cause of calls to poison control centers and is responsible for about 56,000 emergency room visits annually......
Under the proposed new rules, hundreds of over-the-counter products with acetaminophen would have to list it as an ingredient on the label and the outside carton. The warning would state that overdose can cause liver failure and the drug should not be used when consuming three or more alcoholic drinks......
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, like ibuprofen, will warn of gastrointestinal bleeding, which can be fatal. People over 60 years of age, those with ulcers, those who take blood thinners or steroid medications, and those who consume more than three alcoholic drinks a day are at highest risk.....
All medicines have potential risks. Although many of us don’t think twice about taking a pain killer, it is important to note that these medicines can damage the liver and increase the risk for GI bleeding.
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