Popping Painkillers May Raise Heart Risk
Men who pop over-the-counter pain relievers may be setting themselves up for high blood pressure, according to a study in this week's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Researchers reviewed four years' worth of data from the health questionnaires of 16,031 men, with an average age of 65 and no history of high blood pressure, and spotted 1,968 new cases of high blood pressure.
After adjusting for hypertension risks including age, race, physical activity, and smoking, the researchers concluded that the men who took nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Advil, six to seven days per week had a 38 percent increased risk of hypertension compared with nonusers. Those who took acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, at the same frequency had a 34 percent increased risk, while aspirin-takers had a 26 percent increased risk. The findings are similar to previous studies in women.
"My belief is that [these drugs] are being used much more frequently than they need to be," says senior author Gary Curhan, nephrologist and researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Indeed, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and aspirin are the most commonly used drugs in the United States. Using the drugs shouldn't be problematic if taken occasionally, says Curhan, but the risks and benefits of regular use should be discussed with a doctor. Other approaches to preventing pain–including exercise, losing weight, and making other lifestyle modifications–should also be considered.
"What this should do is send up a cautionary note," says Steven Nissen, chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. "All drugs have risks–even the ones that you can buy over the counter." Taking a daily aspirin to pre-empt heart disease, says Nissen, is not recommended for everyone and the regimen should only be adopted under a doctor's supervision.
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