Home Treatment:

There is no home treatment. Seek immediate medical help.

Before Calling Emergency:

Determine the following information:

• Patient's age, weight, and condition
• Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
• Time it was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number:

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

See: Poison control center - emergency number

What to expect at the emergency room:

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Blood tests will be done to check how much acetaminophen is in the blood. The patient may receive:

• Medicines to treat symptoms
• Activated charcoal
• Laxative
• Medicine (antidote) to reverse the effect of the poison

Expectations (prognosis):

If treatment is received within 8 hours of the overdose, there is a very good chance of recovery.

However, without rapid treatment, a very large overdose of acetaminophen can lead to liver failure and death in a few days.