Adverse Events Associated with IV Administration of Oral N-Acetylcysteine

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is the recommended treatment for acetaminophen poisoning. Administered orally, NAC treatment is associated with nausea and vomiting. The oral NAC preparation can also be delivered intravenously through a filter, although this route has not been approved in the U.S. Researchers performed a retrospective chart review to examine the rate of adverse events (AEs) associated with IV administration of oral NAC.

Over a 6-year period at one hospital, 187 patients received oral NAC by the IV route for suspected acetaminophen poisoning. Patients who presented within 8 hours after acute ingestion received 330 mg/kg of NAC over 21 hours. Patients who presented 8 or more hours after acute ingestion and those with chronic ingestion o…