Regular use of paracetamol associated with elevated blood pressure – study

Man Studies suggest that people with high blood pressure who take paracetamol on a regular basis may be at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

As a result, researchers say patients with long-term prescriptions for analgesics, which are usually used to treat chronic pain, should be given the lowest effective dose in the shortest possible time.

According to scientists, paracetamol is considered to be a completely safe drug to use in patients with this condition.

However, their findings show that their effects on blood pressure increase the risk of blood pressure and heart disease, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, which are also used to manage chronic pain ( It shows that it is similar to NSAID).

According to experts, an increase in blood pressure may be expected to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke by about 20%.

They suggest that this study should lead to a review of long-term parasetamol prescriptions for patients, especially those with that condition, or those at specific risk of heart disease or stroke.

Professor James Deer, Individual President of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Edinburgh, said:

“Physicians and patients need to weigh the risks and benefits of long-term paracetamol prescribing together, especially in patients at risk of cardiovascular disease.”

“In summary, two weeks of treatment with paracetamol has been shown to increase blood pressure in patients with hypertension (hypertension).”

Dr Iain MacIntyre, Principal Researcher, consultant for clinical pharmacology and nephrology at NHS Lothian, said: For those who take it regularly over a long period of time, usually due to chronic pain. “

Studies have found that after people stop taking the drug, their blood pressure returns to the state at the beginning of the study, suggesting that the drug increased it.

Researchers said they did not have an exact number of people in the UK who were taking paracetamol for a long time and had high blood pressure.

However, 1 in 3 adults in the UK has increased hypertension with age, and 1 in 10 Scotland – Where the study was done – Take paracetamol on a regular basis. This is a number that is likely to be the same elsewhere.

In this study, 110 patients with a history of hypertension were prescribed 1 g of paracetamol four times daily (a dose regularly prescribed for patients with chronic pain) or placebo for two weeks each.

Researchers have found that people taking painkillers have significantly higher blood pressure than those taking placebo.

According to experts, this study was set up to confirm that the effect on blood pressure was very small, and they were surprised to see the much greater effect.

Dear professor, the study suggests that the findings can affect many people.

Scientists emphasize that the limitation of their research is that they did not see patients with chronic pain.

However, there is no reason to believe that patients taking paracetamol for the treatment of pain will have a different blood pressure response than the patients under study, they say.

Professor Nilesh Samani, British Heart Foundation The funding for this study states:

“It regularly reviews doctors and patients whether they need a continuous need to take medication, even those that may seem relatively harmless, such as paracetamol, and constantly weighs the benefits and risks. It emphasizes why you need to. “

Dr. Richard Francis, Stroke Association “High blood pressure is the only greatest risk factor for stroke.

“This new and powerful study adds to previous studies and suggests that regular paracetamol rapidly raises blood pressure in people who are already at risk of stroke or heart attack.

“Therefore, it is important for physicians to regularly review and weigh the risks and benefits of prescribing paracetamol.”

Charity vs. arthritis consultant Dr. Benjamin Ellis, a rheumatologist, said that many people with arthritis and musculoskeletal symptoms use paracetamol or drugs containing paracetamol to manage their pain.

He added: “This study shows the need to develop safer drugs to treat pain, and the importance of medical services that provide more and better options for managing non-pharmaceutical pain. Is emphasized.

“This includes helping people get physically active, getting the mental health support they need, and working with charities such as Versus Arthritis to provide peer support. If you are concerned about the risks of a drug, you should consult your health care professional to consider your options. “