Acetaminophen has been used for over a century to treat pain and fever. Oral and rectal administration of the drug is currently approved by the FDA; however, some hospitalized patients are unable to take their medications by mouth, and rectal delivery can have unreliable absorption and response. This multi-center study is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of intravenous acetaminophen.

A total of 150 adult inpatients will be recruited for this study. Study subjects are patients with fever or acute pain who will be hospitalized for at least five days and who require an IV for medications or treatment. Investigators at OHSU are focusing on a cohort of post-surgical patients.

Subjects are randomized to receive either IV acetaminophen or the standard of care. Each day, liver function tests are performed for safety analysis, and patients are asked to report their satisfaction with the treatment. Additional follow-up occurs at 7 and 30 days after surgery.