Acetaminophen (Intravenous Route)

Side Effects

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common-Adults

1. Abnormal breath sounds
2. bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
3. difficult or labored breathing
4. difficulty opening the mouth
5. dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
6. irregular heartbeat
7. lockjaw
8. loss of appetite
9. muscle pain or cramps
10. muscle spasm, especially of the neck and back
11. nausea or vomiting
12. nervousness
13. numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
14. pain at the injection site
15. slow or fast heartbeat
16. sweating
17. tightness in the chest
18. unusual tiredness or weakness

Less common-Children

1. Decreased urination
2. difficult, fast, or noisy breathing, sometimes with wheezing
3. dizziness
4. fast, slow, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
5. lower back, side, or stomach pain
6. muscle spasms (tetany) or twitching
7. noisy breathing
8. pain in the arms or legs
9. swelling around the eyes
10. swelling of the feet, ankles, or lower legs

Incidence not known

1. Abdominal or stomach pain or tenderness
2. clay colored stools
3. dark urine
4. decreased appetite
5. difficulty with swallowing
6. flu-like symptoms
7. loss of appetite
8. puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
9. right upper stomach tenderness
10. skin rash, itching, or hives
11. tightness in the chest
12. yellow eyes or skin

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose

1. Black, tarry stools
2. bleeding gums
3. bloating of the abdomen or stomach
4. blood in the urine or stools
5. chills
6. difficult or painful urination
7. general feeling of discomfort or illness
8. light-colored stools
9. pinpoint red spots on the skin
10. sudden decrease in the amount of urine
11. unpleasant breath odor
12. vomiting of blood

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

1. Trouble sleeping

Less common-Adults

1. Fear

Less common-Children

1. Diarrhea
2. difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
3. irritability
4. restlessness

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Precautions

Portions of this document last updated: March 01, 2024

Copyright: © Merative US L.P. 1973, 2024. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.