(a seet a MIN oh fen & KAF een)
Pain: For the temporary relief of pain caused by headache or muscle aches
OTC labeling: When used for self-medication, do not use with other drugs containing acetaminophen or if you are allergic to acetaminophen, aspirin, or any other pain reliever.
Pain: Oral: Acetaminophen 1 g/caffeine 130 mg every 6 hours as needed (maximum: acetaminophen 3 g/caffeine 390 mg per 24 hours)
Refer to adult dosing.
Pain: Children ≥12 years and Adolescents: Refer to adult dosing.
There are no dosage adjustments provided in the manufacturers labeling. Also see individual agents.
There are no dosage adjustments provided in the manufacturers labeling; use caution. Also see individual agents.
Limit the use of caffeine-containing beverages or foods.
Store at 20 ‚ °C to 25 ‚ °C (68 ‚ °F to 77 ‚ °F).
Excipient information presented when available (limited, particularly for generics); consult specific product labeling.
Tablet, Oral:
Bayer Back & Body: Aspirin 500 mg and caffeine 32.5 mg [contains corn starch, fd&c yellow #10 aluminum lake]
Excedrin Tension Headache: Acetaminophen 500 mg and caffeine 65 mg [contains benzoic acid, fd&c blue #1 aluminum lake, fd&c red #40, fd&c yellow #10 aluminum lake]
Excedrin Tension Headache: Acetaminophen 500 mg and caffeine 65 mg [contains benzoic acid, fd&c blue #1 aluminum lake, fd&c red #40, fd&c yellow #10 aluminum lake, methylparaben, propylparaben]
Abiraterone Acetate: May increase the serum concentration of CYP1A2 Substrates. Monitor therapy
Acebrophylline: May enhance the stimulatory effect of CNS Stimulants. Avoid combination
Adenosine: Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may diminish the therapeutic effect of Adenosine. Management: Monitor for decreased effect of adenosine if patient is receiving caffeine. Discontinue caffeine in advance of scheduled diagnostic use of adenosine whenever possible. Consider therapy modification
Alcohol (Ethyl): May enhance the hepatotoxic effect of Acetaminophen. Monitor therapy
AtoMOXetine: May enhance the hypertensive effect of Sympathomimetics. AtoMOXetine may enhance the tachycardic effect of Sympathomimetics. Monitor therapy
Barbiturates: May increase the metabolism of Acetaminophen. This may 1) diminish the effect of acetaminophen; and 2) increase the risk of liver damage. Exceptions: Amobarbital; Butabarbital; Butalbital; Methohexital; PENTobarbital; Secobarbital; Thiopental. Monitor therapy
Busulfan: Acetaminophen may increase the serum concentration of Busulfan. Monitor therapy
Cannabinoid-Containing Products: May enhance the tachycardic effect of Sympathomimetics. Exceptions: Cannabidiol. Monitor therapy
CarBAMazepine: May increase the metabolism of Acetaminophen. This may 1) diminish the effect of acetaminophen; and 2) increase the risk of liver damage. Monitor therapy
Cholestyramine Resin: May decrease the absorption of Acetaminophen. Effect is minimal if cholestyramine is administered 1 hour after acetaminophen. Consider therapy modification
Ciprofloxacin (Systemic): May increase the serum concentration of Caffeine. Monitor therapy
CYP1A2 Inhibitors (Moderate): May decrease the metabolism of CYP1A2 Substrates. Monitor therapy
CYP1A2 Inhibitors (Strong): May decrease the metabolism of CYP1A2 Substrates. Consider therapy modification
Dapsone (Topical): May enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Methemoglobinemia Associated Agents. Monitor therapy
Dasatinib: Acetaminophen may enhance the hepatotoxic effect of Dasatinib. Dasatinib may increase the serum concentration of Acetaminophen. Consider therapy modification
Deferasirox: May increase the serum concentration of CYP1A2 Substrates. Monitor therapy
Doxofylline: Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Doxofylline. Avoid combination
Formoterol: Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Formoterol. Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may enhance the hypokalemic effect of Formoterol. Monitor therapy
Fosphenytoin-Phenytoin: May decrease the serum concentration of Acetaminophen. Specifically, serum concentrations of acetaminophen may be decreased (leading to decreased efficacy), but the formation of the toxic N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI) metabolite may be increased (leading to increased hepatotoxicity). Monitor therapy
Imatinib: Acetaminophen may enhance the hepatotoxic effect of Imatinib. Monitor therapy
Indacaterol: Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Indacaterol. Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may enhance the hypokalemic effect of Indacaterol. Monitor therapy
Iobenguane I 123: Sympathomimetics may diminish the therapeutic effect of Iobenguane I 123. Avoid combination
Isoniazid: May enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Acetaminophen. Monitor therapy
LamoTRIgine: Acetaminophen may decrease the serum concentration of LamoTRIgine. Monitor therapy
Linezolid: May enhance the hypertensive effect of Sympathomimetics. Management: Reduce initial doses of sympathomimetic agents, and closely monitor for enhanced pressor response, in patients receiving linezolid. Specific dose adjustment recommendations are not presently available. Consider therapy modification
Lithium: Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may decrease the serum concentration of Lithium. Monitor therapy
MetyraPONE: May increase the serum concentration of Acetaminophen. More importantly, by inhibiting the conjugative metabolism of acetaminophen, metyrapone may shift the metabolism towards the oxidative route that produces a hepatotoxic metabolite. Monitor therapy
Mipomersen: Acetaminophen may enhance the hepatotoxic effect of Mipomersen. Monitor therapy
Nitric Oxide: May enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Methemoglobinemia Associated Agents. Combinations of these agents may increase the likelihood of significant methemoglobinemia. Management: Monitor patients for signs of methemoglobinemia (e.g., hypoxia, cyanosis) when nitric oxide is used in combination with other agents associated with development of methemoglobinemia. Avoid lidocaine/prilocaine. Monitor therapy
Norfloxacin: May increase the serum concentration of Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products. Monitor therapy
Obeticholic Acid: May increase the serum concentration of CYP1A2 Substrates. Monitor therapy
Olodaterol: Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Olodaterol. Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may enhance the hypokalemic effect of Olodaterol. Monitor therapy
Peginterferon Alfa-2b: May increase the serum concentration of CYP1A2 Substrates. Monitor therapy
Phenylephrine (Systemic): Acetaminophen may increase the serum concentration of Phenylephrine (Systemic). Monitor therapy
Prilocaine: Methemoglobinemia Associated Agents may enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Prilocaine. Combinations of these agents may increase the likelihood of significant methemoglobinemia. Management: Monitor patients for signs of methemoglobinemia (e.g., hypoxia, cyanosis) when prilocaine is used in combination with other agents associated with development of methemoglobinemia. Avoid lidocaine/prilocaine in infants receiving such agents. Monitor therapy
Probenecid: May increase the serum concentration of Acetaminophen. Probenecid may also limit the formation of at least one major non-toxic metabolite, possibly increasing the potential for formation of the toxic NAPQI metabolite. Consider therapy modification
Regadenoson: Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products may diminish the vasodilatory effect of Regadenoson. Management: Avoiding using caffeine or other methylxanthine containing products (e.g., theophylline) for at least 12 hours prior to the administration of regadenoson. Consider therapy modification
Sodium Nitrite: Methemoglobinemia Associated Agents may enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Sodium Nitrite. Combinations of these agents may increase the likelihood of significant methemoglobinemia. Monitor therapy
SORAfenib: Acetaminophen may enhance the hepatotoxic effect of SORAfenib. SORAfenib may increase the serum concentration of Acetaminophen. Consider therapy modification
Stiripentol: May increase the serum concentration of Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products. Avoid combination
Sympathomimetics: May enhance the adverse/toxic effect of other Sympathomimetics. Monitor therapy
Tedizolid: May enhance the hypertensive effect of Sympathomimetics. Tedizolid may enhance the tachycardic effect of Sympathomimetics. Monitor therapy
Teriflunomide: May decrease the serum concentration of Caffeine and Caffeine Containing Products. Monitor therapy
Tetracaine (Topical): May enhance the adverse/toxic effect of Methemoglobinemia Associated Agents. Monitor therapy
TiZANidine: CYP1A2 Inhibitors (Weak) may increase the serum concentration of TiZANidine. Management: Avoid these combinations when possible. If combined use cannot be avoided, initiate tizanidine at an adult dose of 2 mg and increase in 2-4 mg increments based on patient response. Monitor for increased effects of tizanidine, including adverse reactions. Consider therapy modification
Vemurafenib: May increase the serum concentration of CYP1A2 Substrates. Management: Consider alternatives to such combinations whenever possible, particularly if the CYP1A2 substrate has a relatively narrow therapeutic index. Consider therapy modification
Vitamin K Antagonists (eg, warfarin): Acetaminophen may enhance the anticoagulant effect of Vitamin K Antagonists. This appears most likely with daily acetaminophen doses exceeding 1.3 or 2 g/day for multiple consecutive days. Monitor therapy
See individual agents.
See individual agents.
Concerns related to adverse effects:
- Hepatotoxicity: Acetaminophen has been associated with severe liver damage. Hepatotoxicity is usually associated with excessive intake and often involves more than one product that contains acetaminophen. Do not exceed more than 6 tablets in 24 hours and do not combine with other products that contain acetaminophen.
- Skin reactions: Serious and potentially fatal skin reactions, including acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) have occurred rarely with acetaminophen use. Discontinue therapy at the first appearance of skin rash (FDA 2013).
Disease-related concerns:
- Ethanol use: Use with caution with concomitant alcohol use; consuming ≥3 alcoholic drinks/day may increase the risk of liver damage.
- Hepatic impairment: Use with caution in patients with hepatic impairment.
Concurrent drug therapy issues:
- Drug-drug interactions: Potentially significant interactions may exist, requiring dose or frequency adjustment, additional monitoring, and/or selection of alternative therapy. Consult drug interactions database for more detailed information.
Other warnings/precautions:
- Caffeine: Contains an amount of caffeine similar to one cup of coffee; limit the use of caffeine-containing beverages or foods during therapy.
- Dosage limit: Limit acetaminophen dose from all sources (prescription, OTC, combination products) and all routes of administration (IV, oral, rectal) to <4 g/day (adults).
- Self-medication (OTC use): When used for self-medication, patients should be instructed to contact health care provider if symptoms get worse or new symptoms appear, redness or swelling is present in the painful area, fever lasts >3 days, or pain lasts longer than 10 days.
See individual agents.
Acetaminophen is believed to inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandins in the central nervous system (Graham 2005); produces antipyretic and analgesic activity.
Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors (mainly A1 and A2A subtypes), induces calcium mobilization from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and inhibits calcium reuptake, increases levels of cyclic AMP by inhibiting phosphodiesterase (Cappelletti 2015).
- Discuss specific use of drug and side effects with patient as it relates to treatment. (HCAHPS: During this hospital stay, were you given any medicine that you had not taken before? Before giving you any new medicine, how often did hospital staff tell you what the medicine was for? How often did hospital staff describe possible side effects in a way you could understand?)
- Patient may experience anxiety or insomnia. Have patient report immediately to prescriber signs of liver problems (dark urine, fatigue, lack of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, light-colored stools, vomiting, or jaundice), tachycardia, urinary retention, change in amount of urine passed, or signs of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin [with or without fever]; red or irritated eyes; or sores in mouth, throat, nose, or eyes) (HCAHPS).
- Educate patient about signs of a significant reaction (eg, wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat). Note: This is not a comprehensive list of all side effects. Patient should consult prescriber for additional questions.
Intended Use and Disclaimer: Should not be printed and given to patients. This information is intended to serve as a concise initial reference for health care professionals to use when discussing medications with a patient. You must ultimately rely on your own discretion, experience, and judgment in diagnosing, treating, and advising patients.