ACETAMINOPHEN (TYLENOL)
- Code
- 600.4900
- Name
- ACETAMINOPHEN (TYLENOL)
- Category
- None
- Department
- Chemistry
- Start Date
- Expiration Date
- Synonyms
- Tylenol
- CPT Codes
- 82003
- Site
- Main Lab
- Reference Test
Specimen Information
- Type
Gold, SST
- Volume
1.0 ml
- Transport Info
Refrigerated
48 hour stability- Fasting Required?
- False
- Patient Instructions
- Reference Range
10-25 ug/mL
<300 ug/mL @ 4 hrs
<50 ug/mL @12 hrs- Methodology
Turbidimetric
Clinical Significance
Acetaminophen, a commonly used analgesic drug, may cause severe hepatic toxicity or death when consumed in overdose quantities. The initial clinical findings in acetaminophen toxicity are relatively mild and non-specific and are therefore not predictive of impending hepatic necrosis, which typically is not evident until three to five days after ingestion. For this reason, the measurement of serum acetaminophen concentration becomes paramount for proper assessment of the severity of overdose and for making appropriate therapeutic decisions. In most cases the analysis of serum acetaminophen following suspected overdose would be made at least four hours after the last acetaminophen ingestion. This is to ensure that peak levels have been achieved.