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Acetaminophen, a widely available over-the-counter medication, cancause liver toxicity in children if doses are exceeded, and morepublic education is needed to warn of potential adverse effects,states an article published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). "Acetaminophen overdose is a major cause of acute liver failure andis the most common identifiable cause of acute liver failure inchildren," writes Dr. Rod Lim, Department of Pediatrics, Children'sHospital, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, withcoauthors. "Repeated supratherapeutic dosing [above the recommendeddose], accidental overdose due to error and intentional ingestioncan all result in acute liver failure and even death." The authors cite a case study of a 22-day-old baby in which theparents misunderstood the correct dose of acetaminophen andadministered too much analgesic for a circumcision. After theprocedure, when the doctor instructed the parents to give anotherdose, they discovered the error. In this case, N-acetylcysteinewith dextrose was given intravenously, and the child recoveredwithin about 24 hours after ingesting the medication. N-acetylcysteine is the standard treatment for liver toxicityrelated to an overdose of acetaminophen and is usually successfulif started within eight hours after ingesting the drug. Medication errors involving children are a serious issue, anddosing is complicated by the need to dose by the child's weight andconvert this dose to a volume because many medications for childrenare in liquid form. A report from the US poison control centres andthe American Academy of Pediatrics, which analyzed 238 instances ofserious medication errors in children under age six, found that 11%of children who are given pharmaceuticals experience a medicationerror such as an incorrect medication, incorrect dose or method ofadministering. Acetaminophen overdose was the most common singleagent responsible for a life-threatening event, longer-term illnessor death. A better approach is needed to prevent these avoidable, andlife-threatening, errors. "Although physicians and pharmacists should continue to educateparents and caregivers regarding the medications prescribed,one-to-one communication cannot be the sole approach to reducingerrors in medication administration," write the authors. "Errorreduction on a large scale requires systems-based interventions andprevention." Suggestions include better labelling and dosing information,improved dosing devices - many parents use spoons, which are notstandard sizes and can lead to overdoses - and placingacetaminophen behind the counter to ensure that a pharmacist cancounsel parents on correct dosing. Additional References Citations. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Wiring Duct Manufacturer , Self Adhesive Tie Mount for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Wiring Duct.
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