Medical study found some people who take paracetamol could be at higher risk of stroke or heart attack
A medical study has warned that regular use of paracetamol could increase the risk of certain life-threatening conditions. Previously considered a safe drug for patients, it’s now been found that paracetamol can have similar effects to non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, which are known to raise blood pressure and heart disease risk.
Experts suggest that an increase in blood pressure could heighten the risk of heart disease or stroke by around 20%. They advise that patients with long-term prescriptions for this painkiller, typically used for chronic pain management, should be given the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible period of time, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
Professor James Dear, personal chairman 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.”
Prof Dear advised doctors and patients to “together consider the risks versus the benefits”, particularly where patients are at risk of cardiovascular disease. He added: “In summary, we’ve shown that two weeks of treatment with paracetamol increases blood pressure in patients who have hypertension (high blood pressure).”
Lead investigator Dr Iain MacIntyre, consultant in clinical pharmacology and nephrology at NHS Lothian, said people who use paracetamol every once in a while shouldn’t worry. The doctor said: “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.”
The study found that after people stopped taking the drug, their blood pressure returned to what it was at the start of the study, suggesting the drug increased it. Researchers said they did not have accurate numbers of the people in the UK who are on paracetamol long term and have high blood pressure, but it is estimated that one in three adults in the UK have high blood pressure take paracetamol regularly.
According to the experts, the study was set up to see a very small effect on blood pressure, and they were surprised to see a much bigger impact. Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, which funded the study, said the findings “emphasise why doctors and patients should regularly review whether there is an ongoing need to take any medication” and “always weigh up the benefits and risks.”
Blood Pressure UK says around one in three adults in the UK has high blood pressure. In England this is 31% of men and 26% of women.