One relatively common type of medical malpractice is a prescription error. This can happen in many different ways. The doctor may prescribe the wrong medication for the patient. A pharmacy may fulfill the order but give the patient the wrong pills. A nurse may administer two different medications to the patient at the same time. In some cases, prescription errors involve prescriptions getting switched between two patients, potentially harming both of them.
If this happens, one potential risk is that the active ingredients will overlap. This can cause unintended consequences and could even be fatal if it leads to an overdose.
The risk of acetaminophen
One example of this is if a patient is taking medicine that contains acetaminophen. People are only supposed to take a maximum of 4,000 mg over a 24-hour period. If they take more, it can lead to severe liver damage.
But acetaminophen is also incredibly common. There are more than 500 medicines that use it as their active ingredient. Some are over-the-counter medicines, like Tylenol. But others are prescription medications.
An accidental overdose is possible if a patient is given two medications that both contain acetaminophen. A nurse or a doctor may even check to make sure that they’re not getting more than 4,000 mg in 24 hours. But if each medication gives that patient the same dose, they may inadvertently get 8,000 mg.
This is even more dangerous when talking about prescription painkillers. A patient who is given two different opioids simultaneously could have a severe overdose reaction and may even pass away. If you have suffered harm or lost a loved one due to medical malpractice, you need to know what legal steps to take.