Study named a painkiller that increases risk of strokes and heart diseases by 20%
Millions of Americans use prescription painkillers on a daily basis to treat chronic aches and pains.
Painkillers, despite their widespread use, are not completely harmless. A popular pain reliever has been linked to an increased risk of stroke and heart disease.
A study reveals that taking paracetamol on a regular basis may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in patients with high blood pressure.
According to researchers, patients who have a long-term prescription for the painkiller, which is typically used to treat chronic pain, should choose the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible.
The University of Edinburgh study, which was published in the scientific journal Circulation, is the first big randomized clinical trial to examine this subject, and it builds on previous observational research.
Paracetamol was frequently recommended as a safer option to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are known to raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease.
For two weeks, 110 individuals with a history of high blood pressure were given either one gram of paracetamol four times a day — a commonly prescribed amount in chronic pain sufferers – or a matched placebo. Both therapies were given to all of the patients, with the order being randomized and blinded.
Those who were given paracetamol had significantly higher blood pressure than those who were given a placebo.
This increase was similar to that seen with NSAIDs, and doctors estimate that it will increase the risk of heart disease or stroke by roughly 20%.
The findings, according to the study’s authors, should prompt a reconsideration of long-term paracetamol prescriptions for patients, especially those with high blood pressure or who are at high risk of heart disease or stroke.
“This is not about short-term use of paracetamol for headaches or fever, which is, of course, fine – but it does indicate a newly discovered risk for people who take it regularly over the longer term, usually for chronic pain,” says lead investigator Dr. Iain MacIntyre, Consultant in Clinical Pharmacology and Nephrology at NHS Lothian.
Professor James Dear, Personal Chair of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Edinburgh, said: “This study clearly shows that paracetamol – the world’s most used drug – increases blood pressure, one of the most important risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. Doctors and patients together should consider the risks versus the benefits of long-term paracetamol prescription, especially in patients at risk of cardiovascular disease.”
“We would recommend that clinicians start with a low dose of paracetamol, and increase the dose in stages, going no higher than needed to control pain. Given the substantial rises in blood pressure seen in some of our patients, there may be a benefit for clinicians to keep a closer eye on blood pressure in people with high blood pressure who newly start paracetamol for chronic pain,” adds Principal Investigator Professor David Webb.
“However, if you take paracetamol occasionally to manage an isolated headache or very short bouts of pain, these research findings should not cause unnecessary concern,” says Professor Sir Nilesh Samani.
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