The acetaminophen dosing calculator helps you calculate how much acetaminophen is in your medicines to avoid accidental overdoses of the common drug ingredient.
As the leaves change and sweater weather arrives, we also face a less welcome change: colds, flu, COVID-19, and RSV will begin circulating in our workplaces and classrooms. Millions of Americans will turn to over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription (Rx) medications to ease our symptoms – and many of those medicines will contain the drug ingredient acetaminophen.
To help families take their medicines safely, the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition has launched the Know Your Dose Calculator Acetaminophen Dosing Calculator, a free, online educational tool that helps consumers and patients calculate how much acetaminophen is in their medicines and cautions against taking more than the daily limit. By using the Acetaminophen Dosing Calculator, they can:
Learn how to safely and effectively take OTC and Rx medicines with acetaminophen;
Identify the amount of acetaminophen in their medicines; and
Track how much acetaminophen they may take in a 24-hour period.
Acetaminophen is found in hundreds of OTC and Rx medications, including many commonly used cold and flu medicines, pain relievers, and allergy medicines. While it’s safe and effective when used as directed, taking more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in a day can lead to severe liver damage.
With its extensive database of medicines that contain acetaminophen and easy-to-use interface, this calculator helps address common dosing mistakes like taking more than the recommended dose at one time, taking multiple products with acetaminophen, or redosing too soon.
Explore the Acetaminophen Dosing Calculator here.
In addition to using the Acetaminophen Dosing Calculator, follow these simple safe use steps to avoid an accidental overdose of acetaminophen:
Always read and follow the medicine label.
Know if your medicines contain acetaminophen.
Take only one medicine at a time that contains acetaminophen.
Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
For more information, visit KnowYourDose.org and follow @KnowYourDose on X/Twitter and Facebook.