Is acetaminophen a blood thinner?

Painkilling drugs are prescribed for treating mild forms of pain. Your caregiving team is likely to administer these meds for the management of headaches, muscular spasms or cramps, lower-back pains, toothache, etc. One of the widely used med in the painkiller genre is acetaminophen. It can also be taken for the treatment of fever. But, is acetaminophen a blood thinner too? It is an important to thing to have more information about this.

Your body makes a substance called prostaglandin; this substance plays an active role in your experiencing pains such as headache, toothache, back pains, etc. Painkilling meds mostly work to alter the level of prostaglandins. Once this is regulated, your body’s ability to feel pain comes down sizably.

What is acetaminophen?

Acetaminophen is essentially a pain-reliever and also a fever-reducing med. The chief function of this med is to help your system to withstand painful conditions and associated discomforts. For instance, it helps control the temperature level of your body; this is done by regulating your body temperature by removing extra heat. It thus works as a fever-reducer.

Though the functioning of acetaminophen may resemble ibuprofen, naproxen or other such drugs, it is not categorised under the genre called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Is acetaminophen a blood thinner?

No, acetaminophen is not a blood thinner. However, aspirin (that has an active chemical called acetylsalicylic acid) has blood thinning capabilities. If your treatment plan also includes the intake of warfarin, you are advised to talk to your doctor about combining acetaminophen with blood thinners.

Side effects such as internal bruising or bleeding, excessive discharge of blood during periods, darkened urine, black or red stools, etc. must be informed to your caregiving team. Safer alternatives to acetaminophen / warfarin are administered if bleeding continues for long or if adverse effects like bleeding from nasal pathways are observed.

If one or more of these side effects persist for long, seek medical assistance by dialling 911 or by contacting the emergency helpdesk of the food & drug administration in US.

People who use acetaminophen (paracetamol) in Canada – upon sensing nosebleed or a heavy menstrual discharge – need to rush to a local poison control unit; users may also establish contact with Health Canada on a top priority mode.

Other essential points about acetaminophen

Acetaminophen – in some countries – is called paracetamol. Some of the well-known brands that have acetaminophen as a key ingredient are Apra, Tylenol, Aceta, Mapap, and a few others. You need to know that acetaminophen works upon an enzyme called COX; the way acetaminophen works upon this enzyme (which helps make prostaglandins) is way too different than how NSAIDs function.

Moreover, acetaminophen is quite a short-acting drug and due to it, relief comes sooner than other painkillers. Owing to this, acetaminophen is never consumed often. Typical dosage – among adults – is 500 milligrams (mg) once every 8 hours. This dosage is for its immediate-release version. Its extended-release version may be administered up to 1,000 mg.

However, for children aged 14 – 17, dosage is 15 mg per kilogram (kg) of their weight. On the other hand, for children above 10 but less than 14 years of age, doses fare at 8 mg / kg of weight.

Overdose of acetaminophen

Taking an excessive dose of this med can cause a few severe side effects. If you notice inflammation of lips or tongue, rashes on skin, faster breathing rate, etc., seek medical help on an urgent mode. Those who live in the US must call 911 or contact the helpdesk of FDA. This federal drug-clearing body runs its own helplines to assist users of drugs which it has cleared. People in Canada need to rush to a local poison management clinic without delay.

Above all, you are advised to talk to a physician before administering doses of acetaminophen.

Disclaimer

Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.