Acetaminophen

Description: Like aspirin, acetaminophen possesses analgesic (pain-relieving) and antipyretic (fever-reducing) effects. However, it lacks anti-inflammatory effects (the ability to reduce joint swelling in arthritis patients and in some patients with temporomandibular joint pain). Acetaminophen does not irritate the stomach, cause ulcers or increase bleeding time. It is the pain reliever and fever reducer of choice in children, because its use is not associated with Reyes syndrome. It also can be safely used in patients with allergies to aspirin or to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and in most patients with aspirin or NSAID-sensitive asthma.