After a woman died of severe hepatitis caused by an accidental Tylenol overdose at her home, a Quebec coroner is recommending reducing the size of over-the-counter containers.<\/p>\n
Coroner Dr. Edgard Nassif\u2019s report says that a relative of the 81-year-old single woman living in Dorval called 911 on July 1 after noticing that the woman was confused.<\/p>\n
The woman\u2019s name is redacted in the report. <\/p>\n
Paramedics arrived to find her confused about the time of day and transported her to the Centre hospitalier de l\u2019Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al (CHUM)\u2019s emergency department, where she was treated for hypoglycemia. <\/p>\n
After more tests, doctors found she had severe liver damage and was developing hepatic encephalopathy, a decline in brain function due to liver dysfunction.<\/p>\n
Due to her declining health, the woman\u2019s family opted for palliative care over aggressive medical treatment, and she died on July 5.<\/p>\n
The woman, according to the report, suffered from high blood pressure and dyslipidemie (unbalanced cholesterol or triglyceride levels) and struggled with alcoholism. <\/p>\n
However, she was independent, had friends, and a close relative spoke with her every day.<\/p>\n
Acetaminophen poisonings rising<\/p>\n
Health Canada says that acetaminophen (the ingredient in Tylenol and other pain relievers) poisoning can occur when the product is used longer than recommended or a user takes more than the maximum recommended daily dose (four grams per day).<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile acetaminophen is broken down by the liver, if you take too much, it can build up and become toxic,\u201d Health Canada says. \u201cA buildup of acetaminophen can cause a form of liver injury called drug-induced hepatitis. If severe enough, it can affect the way your liver works or even cause your liver to stop working.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health Canada adds that around 4,500 hospitalizations in the country are the result of acetaminophen overdoses, and around 700 of those were reported as accidental or unintentional.<\/p>\n
The Quebec Poison Control Centre said that in 2025, there were 3,562 acetaminophen poisoning cases and 5,696 cases involving multiple drugs, including acetaminophen. <\/p>\n
The centre says that number has been steadily increasing since 2022.<\/p>\n
About six per cent of the total cases in Canada result in liver injuries, including liver failure, which could lead to the need for a transplant or death.<\/p>\n
Tests revealed fulminant hepatitis in the Dorval woman when admitted at the CHUM. Her chronic alcohol consumption may have led to a lower tolerance threshold for the medication, the report says.<\/p>\n
\u201cFurthermore, taking other medications can increase the risk of poisoning,\u201d the coroner\u2019s report says. \u201cA relative found an empty acetaminophen bottle in her apartment … It is highly likely that (the woman) took several acetaminophen tablets without realizing it or remembering the time interval between doses. Her memory lapses and alcohol consumption may have contributed to an uncoordinated ingestion of acetaminophen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smaller bottles<\/p>\n
The coroner\u2019s report points out that, though deaths like the Dorval woman\u2019s are not common, the \u201ccosts and long-term effects resulting from poisoning can be significant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nassif writes that North American research shows excessive acetaminophen consumption is the leading cause of liver failure and that England enacted legislation limiting the size of over-the-counter packaging, \u201cwhich has reduced the number of deaths caused by this medication by 43 per cent, as well as reducing the number of hospitalizations and liver transplants.\u201d<\/p>\n