Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is one of the most widely used medicines in the world. People often take it to relieve pain or lower a fever. It is commonly used for headaches, back pain, arthritis, and other chronic conditions.
For many years, doctors have recommended paracetamol as a safer option compared to a group of drugs called NSAIDs, which stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are known to reduce pain and inflammation but may raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart problems in some people.
Because of these risks, patients—especially those with high blood pressure—have often been told to avoid NSAIDs and use paracetamol instead. However, a new study from the University of Edinburgh suggests that paracetamol might not be as safe as once believed, at least for people with high blood pressure.
In this study, scientists looked at 110 adults who all had a history of high blood pressure. These people were split into two groups.
One group took one gram of paracetamol four times a day, which is a typical dose for people with chronic pain. The other group was given a placebo, a harmless pill that looks the same but has no active ingredients. This part of the study lasted for two weeks.
After two weeks, the researchers found that those who took paracetamol had a noticeable rise in their blood pressure compared to the group that took the placebo. The increase in blood pressure was similar to what has been seen with NSAIDs.
This is concerning because high blood pressure is one of the major risk factors for heart disease and stroke. The researchers estimated that the rise in blood pressure from taking paracetamol long-term could raise the risk of having a heart attack or stroke by about 20 percent.
This new evidence shows that even paracetamol, often thought to be the “safe” option, may not be suitable for everyone—especially people who already have heart risks. The scientists suggest that doctors should be careful when prescribing paracetamol for long-term use in people with high blood pressure.
They should aim to use the lowest dose possible, and only for as short a time as needed. Patients and doctors should also talk together about whether the benefits of taking paracetamol outweigh the potential risks, especially when taken for many weeks or months.
The findings of this study may lead to changes in how paracetamol is prescribed for people with chronic pain. It is important to remember that while paracetamol can be helpful in relieving pain, it is still a drug with possible side effects.
The study was led by Dr. Iain MacIntyre and was published in the medical journal Circulation. It adds to the growing number of studies that suggest pain treatment should be carefully personalized, especially for people who are at higher risk of heart problems.
If you take paracetamol regularly, especially if you have high blood pressure, it may be worth discussing this new research with your doctor. They can help you decide the safest and most effective way to manage your pain.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and Vitamin K2 could help reduce heart disease risk.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about how to remove plaques that cause heart attacks, and results showing a new way to prevent heart attacks, strokes.
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