Excessive paracetamol intake raises blood pressure: study results

Any medication should be approved by a doctor. Unfortunately, sometimes people self-medicate and take various drugs without fully understanding the mechanism of their action and possible side effects. For example, taking ordinary paracetamol, which we are used to using for pain or fever, can lead to serious consequences, such as increased blood pressure in people with hypertension, if used for a long time.

Acetaminophen (the generic name for paracetamol) has long been considered a safe painkiller compared to other classes, such as NSAIDs, which increase the risk of heart disease. However, The Cable recently published new data that suggests the need to reconsider the long-term prescription of this drug for people with high blood pressure.

Thus, researchers at the University of Edinburgh decided to conduct an experiment on the effect of paracetamol on the condition of patients with hypertension.

During the study, 110 patients with high blood pressure took a standard dose of paracetamol (1 g 4 times a day) for people with chronic pain or placebo pills for two weeks. The results showed that the group taking paracetamol had a significant increase in blood pressure.

Scientists argue that a single dose of paracetamol to reduce fever or relieve pain is justified, but given the new data, its long-term use by people with high blood pressure and a risk of heart disease and stroke should be reconsidered.