Acetadote

When you take too much acetaminophen, a toxic substance from the breakdown of acetaminophen builds up in your body. Usually, your body has an antioxidant called glutathione that helps remove the toxic substance. But when you take too much acetaminophen, there's too much toxin and not enough glutathione to remove it all. The exact way that acetylcysteine (Acetadote) works for acetaminophen overdose isn't completely understood, but it's thought to help restore levels of the antioxidant so that your body can better remove the the toxic substance from acetaminophen.

Taking too much acetaminophen can cause nausea, vomiting, or constipation. Liver damage from an acetaminophen overdose can look like vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite, or yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes. More severe cases of overdose can cause confusion, seizures, and even death. Call a poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 or get emergency help right away if you or a loved one experiences any of these symptoms or if you think you've taken too much acetaminophen.

Your provider will calculate the dose of acetylcysteine (Acetadote) based on your body weight. If you're receiving this medication through your veins (IV), you'll typically receive three separate infusions over the course of 21 hours. If you're receiving acetylcysteine (Acetadote) by mouth, your provider will mix your dose with a diet soft drink and you'll typically take a dose every 4 hours for a total of 17 doses.

The most common side effects from the injection version of acetylcysteine (Acetadote) are infusion-related reactions, such as rash, hives, facial flushing, and itching. Redness and flushing of the skin can happen 30 to 60 minutes after an acetylcysteine (Acetadote) infusion is started. This usually goes away, but if you have other symptoms, it might be a sign of a more severe reaction. Acetylcysteine (Acetadote) might also cause nausea, vomiting, and other stomach side effects, but these are more common with the oral solution.

A serious reaction to the IV infusion can happen in some people shortly after acetylcysteine (Acetadote) is started. The symptoms of this reaction can include rash, low blood pressure (e.g., lightheadedness, fainting), wheezing, and trouble breathing. Let your provider know if you have asthma, since they'll want to monitor you more closely for breathing problems. Usually, your provider will stop the acetylcysteine (Acetadote) infusion and treat the symptoms of your reaction if this occurs.