Paracetamol, also called acetaminophen, is a very common medicine that people use to reduce pain and fever.
Many take it when they have headaches, sore muscles, arthritis, or just feel unwell. It has often been seen as a safer choice than other pain medicines, especially for people with high blood pressure.
But now, a new study from the University of Edinburgh suggests that taking paracetamol for a long time might not be as safe as people thought—especially for those who already have high blood pressure.
In this study, 110 people with high blood pressure took part. The researchers split them into two groups. One group took paracetamol four times a day. The other group took a placebo, which is a pill that looks the same but has no medicine in it. The researchers wanted to see if paracetamol had any effect on blood pressure.
They found that the people who took paracetamol had higher blood pressure than the people who took the placebo. The increase in blood pressure was about the same as what happens with other painkillers like ibuprofen. Those drugs are already known to raise the risk of heart problems.
Because of this rise in blood pressure, the researchers believe that using paracetamol for a long time could increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes by around 20%.
This matters because doctors have been telling people with high blood pressure to avoid ibuprofen and similar drugs. Paracetamol was thought to be safer. But this new research suggests that it might also carry some risk, especially if used every day for a long time.
One of the researchers, Professor James Dear, said this is important because so many people think paracetamol is completely safe. If it can raise blood pressure, doctors and patients need to be more careful about how often it is used.
So, what should you do if you take paracetamol often? The best step is to talk with your doctor. You don’t need to stop right away, but your doctor can help you find the safest way to manage your pain. They may recommend a different dose or suggest using it for a shorter time.
Also, living a healthy life can help reduce pain and the need for medicines. Eating well, staying active, sleeping enough, and managing stress can all lower the chances of needing long-term pain relief.
In the end, paracetamol still works well for many people. But if you have high blood pressure, it’s a good idea to be careful and speak to your doctor. More research is needed, but this study reminds us that even common medicines can have risks.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about How to eat your way to healthy blood pressure and results showing that Modified traditional Chinese cuisine can lower blood pressure.
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