Toxicities of drugs used in the management of fever.
Fever is frequently managed outside the purview of medical professionals, and antipyretic therapy, on the whole, is generally considered safe. However, each of the drugs used in the management of fever has significant toxicities. The purpose of this review is to examine the relative safety of such agents with a focus on the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen. Toxicity to the gastrointestinal, renal, and hepatic systems are considered; the comparative safety profile of acetaminophen and ibuprofen as antipyretics are highlighted; and specific recommendations to improve the safe use of these therapies are advanced.
Plaisance
K I
KI
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. kplaisan@rx.umaryland.edu
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000009:adverse effects; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000082:Acetaminophen; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases