Author: Don Stader, MD

Educational Pearls:

• Intravenous Tylenol currently is many times more expensive than oral
• Single ED study comparing the two has methodology flaws and there is a lack of additional evidence to support intravenous over oral formulations solely for pain control
• Oral Tylenol appears to be at least equally efficacious, though with a slightly slower onset of action

References:

Furyk J, Levas D, Close B, Laspina K, Fitzpatrick M, Robinson K, Vangaveti VN, Ray R. Intravenous versus oral paracetamol for acute pain in adults in the emergency department setting: a prospective, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised controlled trial. Emerg Med J. 2018 Mar;35(3):179-184. doi: 10.1136/emermed-2017-206787. Epub 2017 Dec 15. PubMed PMID: 29247042.

Jibril F, Sharaby S, Mohamed A, Wilby KJ. Intravenous versus Oral Acetaminophen for Pain: Systematic Review of Current Evidence to Support Clinical Decision-Making. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2015 May-Jun;68(3):238-47. Review. PubMed PMID: 26157186; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4485512.

Summary by Travis Barlock, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD