Which of the following is considered a high-alert medication?

High-alert medications are drugs that have a higher risk of causing significant harm when they are used inappropriately. Insulin is classified as a high-alert medication because it is critical in managing diabetes, and even minor dosing errors can lead to severe hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. These errors can result in serious health complications, including hospitalization, seizures, or even death.

Both acetaminophen and ibuprofen are widely used over-the-counter medications that, while they can cause harm if misused, generally have a lower risk of severe harm compared to high-alert medications. Warfarin is indeed a high-alert medication as well, often used for anticoagulation, requiring careful monitoring to avoid bleeding risks. However, in this context, insulin is consistently emphasized in safety practices as one of the most critical high-alert medications due to its prevalence in medication errors and the severe consequences that can ensue from such errors.