Guest blog: Treating a cold or the flu? Remember to double-check: Don’t double up on medicines with acetaminophen

Brett Snodgrass

The Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition educates people about the safe and effective use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in many over-the-counter and prescription medicines used to treat cold and flu symptoms. Today’s guest blog comes from Brett Snodgrass, family nurse practitioner and member of American Association of Nurse Practitioners, a founding organization of the coalition. During the height of cold and flu season, Snodgrass reminds everyone to double check their medicine labels to avoid doubling up on medicines with acetaminophen when treating winter illnesses.

The American Public Health Association is an organizational partner of the Know Your Dose campaign.

Cold and flu season is in full swing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year Americans catch an estimated 1 billion colds, and as many as 20 percent will get the flu.

Among my patients, many are diligent about hand washing, getting a flu shot and taking other precautions to avoid getting sick. Yet each year several of my patients find themselves bedridden with a cold or the flu, missing work and holiday activities. To treat coughs, stuffy noses and the sniffles, seven in 10 people will reach for an over-the-counter medicine.

If you find yourself headed to the cold and flu aisle for symptom relief, you’ll quickly see there are countless medicines available to treat your symptoms. What you may not realize is that many of these medicines contain America’s most common drug ingredient: acetaminophen.


Acetaminophen is found in more than 600 different prescription and over-the-counter medicines, including pain relievers, fever reducers and sleep aids, as well as many medicines for coughs and colds. It is safe and effective when used as directed, but there is a limit to how much can be taken in one day: 4,000 milligrams for most adults. Taking more than directed is an overdose and can lead to liver damage. I always remind my patients to double check their medicine labels to avoid doubling up on medicines with acetaminophen, and follow four simple safe use steps:

Acetaminophen safe use tips.

Follow the campaign on Twitter, @KnowYourDose, and visit KnowYourDose.org for a list of common medicines that contain acetaminophen, tips on reading over-the-counter and prescription labels, and more. This cold and flu season, remember: double check; don’t double up!

Are you winter ready? Tips from APHA’s Get Ready campaign can help you prepare

Winter is approaching, and with it even more things to get ready for. APHA’s Get Ready campaign has the resources you need to be prepared and stay safe during the season.

 

Here are some things to think about this winter:

• Winter storms: Winter storms can be mild and relatively harmless. But they can also cause some serious damage. Now is the time to get your home, workplace and car ready. Read our Get Ready winter storm fact sheet for tips.
    
• Colds and flu: It’s cold and flu season, so now’s the time to stock up on supplies you’ll need in case you get sick. You don’t want to have to run out to the store with a cold! Also, learn how you can tell if you have a flu or a cold with our tip sheet. Don’t forget: It’s not too late to get your flu shot, as flu season usually peaks in January or February.
   
• Power Outages: Losing power can be frustrating. During an outage, unplug any appliances that were on when the power went out to avoid damage. Also, keep your refrigerator door closed as much as possible to keep it relatively cold. After the power has returned, make sure to get rid of any food items that might have gone bad. Read our power outage fact sheet for more info.
   
• Emergency preparedness kits: It’s always a good idea to prepare kits to keep both at home and in your car. Make sure you have an emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, non-perishable foods, plenty of water and a first-aid kit. Check out our full checklist to see what supplies you’ll need.
   

Get Ready fact sheets are also available in Spanish. Visit our Winter Ready page now to download and share our materials.
 
Don’t let the cold weather ruin your wintertime fun!

Earliest start to the flu season in nearly a decade — It’s not too late to vaccinate!

This week, officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that they are seeing increased flu activity around the country. Thomas Frieden, CDC director, said that this was “the earliest regular flu season in nearly a decade.” He also warned that “this could be a bad flu year.”

CDC made the announcement during a teleconference to kick off National Influenza Vaccination Week, which runs from Dec. 2-8. The observance was started in 2005 to remind people that it’s not too late to vaccinate if they haven’t gotten their flu shot before the holidays.

Frieden also had some good news: This year’s flu shot, which protects against different types of flu strains than last year’s shot, is almost a perfect match for the types of flu that doctors and hospitals are finding in the U.S. This means that people who have already had their flu shot this year will be well-protected.

The CDC recommends that almost everyone 6 months of age and older gets a flu shot every year. It’s especially important for people at high risk for complications from influenza — like pregnant women, young children, older adults and people with chronic diseases — to prevent getting the flu with a seasonal flu shot. (Find out more about high risk groups on CDC’s website.)

It takes about two weeks for the flu shot to fully take effect, so right now is a great time to get the flu vaccine. As Frieden reminded us this week, “When you get together with your friends and family, be sure you spread good cheer and give presents, and that you don't share infections and spread the flu.”

Here’s to healthy, happy holidays for all!

Get Ready Mailbag: What kind of flu shots are there?

Welcome to another installment of the Get Ready Mailbag, when we take time to answer questions sent our way by readers like you. Have a question you want answered? Send an email to getready@apha.org.

Q: There are so many kinds of flu shots this year — how do I know which one is right for me?

A: We're glad you're planning on getting your flu shot. Every year there is a different combination of flu strains in the vaccine. This year’s flu shot is different than last year’s formula, so the shot you got last year will not protect you.

And you’re right about the kinds of flu shots - there are more options than ever!  But there’s no reason to be confused. Here’s a breakdown of the different kinds of flu vaccinations options that are available in the U.S. this year:

• Injection: This is the most common type of flu vaccination. If you’ve had a flu shot before, you know what to expect: You’ll get a small amount of flu vaccine injected into your muscle (usually your deltoid, or shoulder).

• Nasal: The flu vaccine is also available as a nasal spray,  though it should not be used by pregnant women or those with certain conditions, such as asthma.

• Intradermal flu shot: For people afraid of needles, this is the flu shot for you! The needle is much smaller on this type of shot, and the vaccine is delivered intradermally (under your skin) instead of in your muscle like the regular flu shot. This option can cost extra, so check with your doctor or pharmacy.

• High-dose flu shot: The high-dose flu shot is made for people 65 and older. It has a stronger dose of medication than the regular seasonal flu shot.

• Preservative-free, single-dose flu shot: Normally the flu-shot — like many other vaccines and injections — comes in a multi-dose bottle with a small amount of preservative known as thimerosol to help the vaccine stay fresh for longer. Some people prefer preservative-free flu shots. These are more expensive, come packaged in a single dose and usually have to be ordered ahead of time.

Remember that whichever type of flu vaccine that you choose, it will protect you against three strains of flu.

The best time to get your flu shot is early in the flu season, before flu is widespread in the community, because it can take up to two weeks for the flu shot to fully protect you. And don't forget to practice good hand hygiene and cold and flu etiquette year-round!

We hope this has helped you decide what flu shot is right for you. If you need to find out where to get your flu shot, check out HealthMap's Flu Vaccine Finder.

Make sure your medicine works when you need it: Get smart about antibiotics!

Picture this: You’re coughing and sneezing. Not sure if you have a cold or the flu, you head to the bathroom and open the medicine cabinet. Checking through the bottles of pills, you find some antibiotics. Should you take them?

The answer is NO. You could be doing more harm than good! Here’s why:

• Colds and the flu are caused by viruses. Antibiotics don’t work on viruses.
• Taking an antibiotic when you should be taking some other kind of medication can lead to something called antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria are exposed to an antibiotic medication so much that they figure out how to survive around the medication. This means that medications that treat all kinds of infections won’t work any more. 
• Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious public health threats around the world, and it’s becoming more common. 

The good news is that you can help to fight antibiotic resistance. Nov. 12-18 is Get Smart About Antibiotics Week, which was created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help educate the public about antibiotics so they can make smart choices when it comes to taking medications. Here are five tips to protect your health:

1. Do not take antibiotics for a viral infection like a cold, the flu or a runny nose. Here is a chart from CDC to help you figure out if you might have a viral infection. If you’re sick, the best thing to do is to call or make an appointment with your health care provider.
2. Do not ask for antibiotics for you or your child if your doctor says you don’t need them.
3. Do not take antibiotics that were prescribed for other people or for other kinds of infections. The antibiotic might not treat the illness that you have, so you could get sicker.
4. If your health care provider prescribes an antibiotic, take it exactly as they tell you. Finish the whole dose even if you start feeling better before the medication runs out. Don’t skip doses and don’t save medication for the next time you or someone else gets sick.
5. Wash your hands to prevent infections. (Check out our fact sheets for great handwashing information!) Make sure to wash with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel. Regular soap and water are fine, but avoid soaps and cleaners that say “antibacterial” on the label. These products usually have an antibiotic called triclosan, which may contribute to antibiotic resistance.

For more information to help you get smart about antibiotics, check out this Healthy You fact sheet from The Nation’s Health: Antibiotics: Know when they’re not needed. Feel free to share this with friends, family and coworkers too – Everyone has to get smart about antibiotics so that the medications work when we really need them!

If you use Twitter, join us on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 1 p.m. EST for a Twitter chat about antibiotics. Experts from the CDC will be there to answer your questions. Follow @CDC_eHealth and @GetReady to join in, and don’t forget to use the tag #SaveAbx.