Additional Dangers of Vicodin

In the US Vicodin is the most common prescription given to patients coming in at 127 Million prescriptions (to give you a comparison there were ~13 million prescriptions of antibiotics for ear infections per year)

Unfortunately Vicodin (AKA Lortab and Percocet) contain a potentially dangerous ingredient that most people rarely think about: Acetaminophen (aka Tylenol). The FDA issued warning to manufacturers regarding the strength and highlighting the additional ingredients in these medications: 

FDA Drug Safety Communication: Prescription Acetaminophen Products to be Limited to 325 mg Per Dosage Unit; Boxed Warning Will Highlight Potential for Severe Liver Failure and even posted a video on YouTube: Prescription Acetaminophen/Opioid Combinations: Making Pain Medicines Safer

Sadly in some 40% of liver failure cases accidental overdose/over medication is the cause and preventable as detailed in this study Acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure: results of a United States multicenter, prospective study.

The message in my mind – we take far too many pain killers and these drugs come with some significant risks

Props to Scott Hensley for the original post FDA Clamps Down On Acetaminophen In Prescription Drugs