Drug Toxicities of Common Analgesic Medications in the Emergency Department

: About 75% of patients present to the emergency department with a complaint of pain. There are multiple prescribed and over-the-counter medications that are available for the treatment of pain. Acetaminophen, opioids, and aspirin are commonly used agents that are available as single agents or in combination with other medications. However, all of these agents are susceptible to toxic overdose, which requires prompt recognition through clinical and laboratory assessment modalities and initiation of therapy to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.