injuries and poisoning
Acetaminophen Poisoning
Symptoms ofAcetaminophenPoisoning
Most overdoses cause no immediate symptoms. If the overdose is very large, symptoms develop in 4 stages: In stage 1 (after several hours), the person may vomit but does not seem ill. Many people have no symptoms in stage 1. In stage 2 (after 24 to 72 hours), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may develop. At this stage, blood tests show that the liver is functioning abnormally. In stage 3 (after 3 to 4 days), vomiting becomes worse. Tests show that the liver is functioning poorly, and Jaundice in Adults (yellowing of the eyes and skin) and bleeding develop. Sometimes the In stage 4 (after 5 days), the person either recovers or experiences failure of the liver and often other organs, which may be fatal. If toxicity results from multiple smaller doses taken over time, the first indication of the problem may be abnormal liver function, sometimes with jaundice and/or bleeding. 