How common is acetaminophen poisoning?
Hydrocodone/paracetamol
Hydrocodone/paracetamol, also known as hydrocodone/acetaminophen, is the combination of the pain medications hydrocodone and paracetamol (acetaminophen). It is used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is taken by mouth. Recreational use is common in the United States.
Common side effects include dizziness, sleepiness, constipation, and vomiting. Serious side effects include addiction, respiratory depression (a decreased effort to breathe), low blood pressure, serotonin syndrome, severe allergic reactions, and liver failure. Use during pregnancy may harm the baby. Use with alcohol is not recommended. Hydrocodone works by binding to the mu-opioid receptor. How acetaminophen works is unclear.
Hydrocodone/paracetamol was approved for medical use in the United States in 1982. In the United States it is a schedule II controlled substance. In 2016 it was the 13th most prescribed medication in the United States with more than 43 million prescriptions. It is not available in the United Kingdom. It is sold under the trade name Vicodin among others.
Combined drug intoxication
The CDI/MDI phenomenon seems to be becoming more common in recent years. In December 2007, according to Dr. John Mendelson, a pharmacologist at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, deaths by combined drug intoxication were relatively "rare" ("one in several million"), though they appeared then to be "on the rise". In July 2008, the Associated Press and CNN reported on a medical study showing that over two decades, from 1983 to 2004, such deaths have soared. It has also become a prevalent risk for older patients.