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"Recently I was editing a story about health mistakes (look for it in our September issue!) and one of them was taking too much acetaminophen. In speaking to Sandra Fryhofer, MD, an internist and long-time member of the Woman&amp;#039;s Day medical advisory board, I was surprised to learn that acetaminophen overdose is actually the #1 cause of liver failure in the US. That, combined with the revised guidelines for childrens&amp;#039; over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, made me realize that taking too much of an OTC medication is way more common than any of us might think. Part of the issue is that there are so many combo formulas out there that contain 2-3 drugs in one (a painkiller, a decongestant and an antihistamine, for example). So you really have to read labels carefully to make sure you don&amp;#039;t take a combo formula then a separate anti-inflammatory med (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen) again later. Also it can be easy to assume that if you can get a drug without a prescription, it&amp;#039;s somehow &amp;quot;safer&amp;quot; than an Rx drug. But all OTC drugs carry risks and side effects, which is why you should always follow dosing directions. And when it comes to kids&amp;#039; medicines, be sure to use the measuring cup included in the package. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/a41368/rx-mistakes-when-more-isnat-better-but-dangerous-10423/>