A postoperative patient is being discharged home with acetaminophen/hydrocodone (Lortab) for pain. The patient asks the nurse about using Tylenol for fever. Which statement by the nurse is correct?
a. "It is not safe to take over-the-counter drugs with prescription medications."
b. "Taking the two medications together poses a risk of drug toxicity."
c. "There are no known drug interactions, so this will be safe."
d. "Tylenol and Lortab are different drugs, so there is no risk of overdose."
ANS: B
Tylenol is the trade name and acetaminophen is the generic name for the same medication. It is important to teach patients to be aware of the different names for the same drug to minimize the risk of overdose. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications and prescription medications may be taken together unless significant harmful drug interactions are possible. Even though no drug interactions are at play in this case, both drugs contain acetaminophen, which could lead to toxicity.
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