FDA Label for Acetaminophen And Codeine Phosphate

View Indications, Usage & Precautions

Acetaminophen And Codeine Phosphate Product Label

The following document was submitted to the FDA by the labeler of this product Apotheca, Inc.. The document includes published materials associated whith this product with the essential scientific information about this product as well as other prescribing information. Product labels may durg indications and usage, generic names, contraindications, active ingredients, strength dosage, routes of administration, appearance, warnings, inactive ingredients, etc.

Clinical Pharmacology



This product combines the analgesic effects of a centrally acting analgesic, codeine, with a peripherally acting analgesic, acetaminophen.


Indications And Usage



Acetaminophen and codeine phosphate tablets are indicated for the relief of mild to moderately severe pain.


Contraindications



This product should not be administered to patients who have previously exhibited hypersensitivity to codeine or acetaminophen.


Warnings



In the presence of head injury or other intracranial lesions, the respiratory depressant effects of codeine and other narcotics may be markedly enhanced, as well as their capacity for elevating cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Narcotics also produce other CNS depressant effects, such as drowsiness, that may further obscure the clinical course of the patients with head injuries.

Codeine or other narcotics may obscure signs on which to judge the diagnosis or clinical course of patients with acute abdominal conditions.

Codeine is habit-forming and potentially abusable. Consequently, the extended use of this product is not recommended.

Alcohol Information

Chronic heavy alcohol abusers may be at increased risk of liver toxicity from excessive acetaminophen use, although reports of this event are rare. Reports almost invariably involve cases of severe chronic alcoholics and the dosages of acetaminophen most often exceed recommended doses and often involve substantial overdose. Professionals should alert their patients who regularly consume large amounts of alcohol not to exceed recommended doses of acetaminophen


Precautions



General

Acetaminophen and codeine phosphate tablets should be prescribed with caution in certain special-risk patients, such as the elderly or debilitated, and those with severe impairment of renal or hepatic function, head injuries, elevated intracranial pressure, acute abdominal conditions, hypothyroidism, urethral stricture, Addison's disease, or prostatic hypertrophy.


Adverse Reactions



The most frequently reported adverse reactions are drowsiness, lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting. These effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory than in non-ambulatory patients, and some of these adverse reactions may be alleviated if the patient lies down.

Other adverse reactions include allergic reactions, euphoria, dysphoria, constipation, abdominal pain, pruritus, rash, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis.

At higher doses codeine has most of the disadvantages of morphine including respiratory depression.


Drug Abuse And Dependence



Controlled Substance

Acetaminophen and codeine phosphate tablets are classified as a Schedule III controlled substance.

Abuse and Dependence

Codeine can produce drug dependence of the morphine type and, therefore, has the potential for being abused. Psychological dependence, physical dependence, and tolerance may develop upon repeated administration and it should be prescribed and administered with the same degree of caution appropriate to the use of other oral narcotic medications


Overdosage



Following an acute overdosage, toxicity may result from codeine or acetaminophen.

Signs and Symptoms



Codeine

Toxicity from codeine poisoning includes the opioid triad of: pinpoint pupils, depression of respiration, and loss of consciousness. Convulsions may occur.

Acetaminophen

In acetaminophen overdosage: dose-dependent, potentially fatal hepatic necrosis is the most serious adverse effect. Renal tubular necrosis, hypoglycemic coma and thrombocytopenia may also occur.

Early symptoms following a potentially hepatotoxic overdose may include: nausea, vomiting, diaphoresis and general malaise. Clinical and laboratory evidence of hepatic toxicity may not be apparent until 48 to 72 hours post-ingestion.

In adults, hepatic toxicity has rarely been reported with acute overdoses of less than 10 grams, or fatalities with less than 15 grams.


Dosage And Administration



Dosage should be adjusted according to severity of pain and response of the patient.

The usual adult dosage is:


Single Doses (range)Maximum 24 Hour Dose
Codeine Phosphate15 mg to 60 mg360 mg
Acetaminophen300 mg to 1000 mg4000 mg

The usual dose of codeine phosphate in children is 0.5 mg/kg.

Doses may be repeated up to every 4 hours.

The prescriber must determine the number of tablets per dose, and the maximum number of tablets per 24 hours based upon the above dosage guidance. This information should be conveyed in the prescription.

It should be kept in mind, however, that tolerance to codeine can develop with continued use and that the incidence of untoward effects is dose related. Adult doses of codeine higher than 60 mg fail to give commensurate relief of pain but merely prolong analgesia and are associated with an appreciably increased incidence of undesirable side effects. Equivalently high doses in children would have similar effects.


Storage And Dispensing



Dispense in a tight, light resistant container as defined in the USP/NF.

Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature].


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