Math Can Save Tylenol Overdose Patients

By: Abbey Rollins

“Acetaminophen is the leading cause of acute liver injury in the United States, accounting for some

56,000 emergency room visits, 26,000 hospital admissions and about 500 deaths annually.”

Medical Lab Tests

• AST: Aspartate AminotransferaseMeasures enzyme in blood

• ALT: Alanine AminotransferaseMeasures enzyme in blood

• INR: International Normalized RatioMeasures time it takes for blood to clot

• Creatinine: Byproduct of muscle breakdownAssesses kidney function

Lab Results Indicating Liver Failure

• Do I think the patient is going to live? I’m going to treat them with the antidote

• Do I think the patient is going to die?Test patient to determine if candidate for transplant

Acetadote

Dosage and Administration ≥ 40kg

Body Weight Loading Dose 2nd Dose 3rd Dose100kg x 2.2 = 220lbs. 75 ml 25 5090kg x 2.2 = 198lbs. 67.5 22.5 4580kg x 2.2 = 176lbs. 60 20 4070kg x 2.2 = 154lbs. 52.5 17.5 3560kg x 2.2 = 132lbs. 45 15 3050kg x 2.2 = 110lbs. 37.5 12.5 2540kg x 2.2 = 88 lbs. 30 10 20

“There’s an app for that.”

References

• http://unews.utah.edu/news_releases/math-can-save-tylenol-overdose-patients-2/

• http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2006/021539s004lbl.pdf