Intravenous acetaminophen may cause significant blood pressure drops, study finds

A widely used pain reliever, acetaminophen, commonly administered in pill form for headaches and fevers, is generally considered safe when used appropriately. However, in hospital settings, it is sometimes administered intravenously (IV), allowing for rapid absorption and precise dosing, especially for patients unable to swallow pills. Recent research indicates that IV administration of acetaminophen may lead to an unexpected side effect: a significant decrease in blood pressure. This effect is not limited to critically ill patients; studies show that approximately 60% of severely ill individuals experience a blood pressure drop following IV doses, with about one-third requiring medical intervention to stabilize their blood pressure. The study, conducted by Thomas Qvistgaard Jepps and colleagues at the University of Copenhagen, aimed to understand the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon. Their findings suggest that bypassing the liver during IV administration alters the body's processing of acetaminophen, impacting potassium channels that play a crucial role in regulating blood pressure. Experimental tests on rats demonstrated that blocking these potassium channels prevente...