Paracetamol, also called acetaminophen, is one of the most popular medicines for easing pain and reducing fever.
People often use it for things like headaches, sore muscles, arthritis, or general body aches. It’s commonly believed to be safer than other painkillers, especially for people with high blood pressure.
But a new study from the University of Edinburgh has found that using paracetamol for a long time might not be as safe as we thought—especially for people who already have high blood pressure.
The researchers studied 110 people who had a history of high blood pressure. They split them into two groups. One group took paracetamol four times a day, while the other group took a fake pill (called a placebo) that didn’t contain any medicine. The goal was to see if paracetamol would raise their blood pressure.
The results were surprising. People who took paracetamol every day had higher blood pressure compared to those who took the fake pill. The rise in blood pressure was about the same as what is seen with other painkillers like ibuprofen, which are already known to increase the risk of heart problems.
The researchers believe that taking paracetamol every day for a long time could raise the risk of heart disease and stroke by about 20%.
This is important because doctors often tell people with high blood pressure to avoid drugs like ibuprofen. That’s why paracetamol has been the go-to choice for safer pain relief. But this study suggests that paracetamol may also have some risks if taken for too long.
Professor James Dear, one of the scientists who led the study, said that these results are important because so many people think of paracetamol as totally safe. If it can raise blood pressure, especially in people who already have heart problems, both doctors and patients need to think more carefully about how and when to use it.
So what should you do? If you use paracetamol often for chronic pain, don’t panic, but talk to your doctor. You don’t need to stop taking it right away. Instead, your doctor can help you find the right dose and decide how long you should take it based on your health.
Also, doing things like eating healthy, exercising, and finding ways to relax can help lower the need for long-term pain medicines. These healthy habits also reduce your overall risk for heart disease.
In the end, paracetamol is still a useful medicine for treating pain. But this new research shows that it might not be as harmless as we once believed—at least for people with high blood pressure. More studies are needed, but for now, it’s a good idea for patients and doctors to be cautious and talk about the best way to manage pain.
If you’re worried about your blood pressure or how to handle pain, the best thing you can do is talk with a healthcare provider. They can help you find the safest and most effective treatment for your needs.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about blood pressure drug that may increase risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and these teas could help reduce high blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about nutrient that could strongly lower high blood pressure, and results showing this novel antioxidant may help reverse blood vessels aging by 20 years.
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