Do pain killers cause high blood pressure?

[Guest guest]

Do pain killers cause high blood pressure?

Sunday, October 27, 2002 Posted: 6:27 PM EST (2327 GMT)

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- The popular pain relievers ibuprofen and

acetaminophen, contained in scores of over-the-counter remedies, may

increase the risk of high blood pressure, a study in women suggests.

Skeptics say the link is flimsy and needs confirmation in

better-designed studies, and even the Harvard researchers who conducted

the study do not recommend that people stop taking the medications. But

the authors add that their findings are plausible given what's known

about how the drugs affect the body.

The study, in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, involved 80,020

women aged 31 to 50 who participated in a nurses' health study and had

not been diagnosed with high blood pressure at the outset. They were

asked in 1995 about their use of painkillers; information about high

blood pressure was obtained from a survey two years later.

During those two years, 1,650 participants developed high blood

pressure. Women who reported taking acetaminophen 22 days a month or

more were twice as likely to develop hypertension as women who did not

use the drug. Those who used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines

that often -- mostly ibuprofen -- were 86 percent more likely to develop

hypertension than nonusers. Aspirin use did not appear to be associated

with an increased risk.

Acetaminophen is contained in Tylenol and ibuprofen is in Motrin, two of

the most popular over-the-counter painkillers.

While the relative risks sound high, the results suggest that the vast

majority of women taking the medications will not develop high blood

pressure, said Dr. J. Elliott, an internal medicine and

pharmacology specialist at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center

in Chicago.

Elliott, who was not involved in the research, also noted that the study

lacks information on doses participants used, which would be needed to

show a true cause and effect.

The researchers from Harvard's School of Public Health acknowledged that

shortcoming and other limitations, including relying on women's own

reports about hypertension rather than blood pressure measurements.

Still, the link was seen even when other possible explanations were

factored in, including age and body-mass index, said researcher Dr.

Curhan.

Ibuprofen and similar nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may raise

blood pressure by blocking production of prostaglandins, hormone-like

substances that can widen blood vessels and improve blood flow. The

drugs also can increase sodium retention.

Acetaminophen also may increase blood pressure by affecting

prostaglandin production, the researchers said.

Dr. Temple of McNeil Consumer & Specialty Products -- makers of

Tylenol, Motrin and St. ph aspirin -- said the study " does not show

any cause and effect relationship. "

Curhan also said the results probably did not stem from underlying

conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis that might increase blood

pressure risk. Factoring in that variable also did not change the

results, he said.

" Given that these medications are readily available over the counter and

are used by a large proportion of the adult population, this association

merits further study, " the researchers said.

[Guest guest]

As far as SCIentific, that is one thing.

For me (ELFentific), YES... my BP stays higher when I take higher doses

of Aspirin, etc. for pain, when I have no actual " pain meds " on hand.

(Can't take Tylenol type meds, makes me nauseous and throw up.)

When the flare or pain subsides, and I reduce dosage of Aspirin, my BP

is much lower within days. I have noticed this for years, even before I

took HBP med for my high blood pressure.

You know...I was thinking. All these " researchers " could save a bundle

of research money, and just get on one of the lists like ours, and ASK

US things!!! Then spend the money saved on research and find a cure!

Elf

wrote:

> Do pain killers cause high blood pressure?

> Sunday, October 27, 2002 Posted: 6:27 PM EST (2327 GMT)

>

>

> CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- The popular pain relievers ibuprofen and

> acetaminophen, contained in scores of over-the-counter remedies, may

> increase the risk of high blood pressure, a study in women suggests.

>

> Skeptics say the link is flimsy and needs confirmation in

> better-designed studies, and even the Harvard researchers who

> conducted

> the study do not recommend that people stop taking the medications.

> But

> the authors add that their findings are plausible given what's known

> about how the drugs affect the body.

>

> The study, in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine, involved 80,020

> women aged 31 to 50 who participated in a nurses' health study and had

>

> not been diagnosed with high blood pressure at the outset. They were

> asked in 1995 about their use of painkillers; information about high

> blood pressure was obtained from a survey two years later.

>

> During those two years, 1,650 participants developed high blood

> pressure. Women who reported taking acetaminophen 22 days a month or

> more were twice as likely to develop hypertension as women who did not

>

> use the drug. Those who used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines

> that often -- mostly ibuprofen -- were 86 percent more likely to

> develop

> hypertension than nonusers. Aspirin use did not appear to be

> associated

> with an increased risk.

>

> Acetaminophen is contained in Tylenol and ibuprofen is in Motrin, two

> of

> the most popular over-the-counter painkillers.

>

> While the relative risks sound high, the results suggest that the vast

>

> majority of women taking the medications will not develop high blood

> pressure, said Dr. J. Elliott, an internal medicine and

> pharmacology specialist at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center

>

> in Chicago.

>

> Elliott, who was not involved in the research, also noted that the

> study

> lacks information on doses participants used, which would be needed to

>

> show a true cause and effect.

>

> The researchers from Harvard's School of Public Health acknowledged

> that

> shortcoming and other limitations, including relying on women's own

> reports about hypertension rather than blood pressure measurements.

>

> Still, the link was seen even when other possible explanations were

> factored in, including age and body-mass index, said researcher Dr.

>

> Curhan.

>

> Ibuprofen and similar nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may raise

> blood pressure by blocking production of prostaglandins, hormone-like

> substances that can widen blood vessels and improve blood flow. The

> drugs also can increase sodium retention.

>

> Acetaminophen also may increase blood pressure by affecting

> prostaglandin production, the researchers said.

>

> Dr. Temple of McNeil Consumer & Specialty Products -- makers

> of

> Tylenol, Motrin and St. ph aspirin -- said the study " does not

> show

> any cause and effect relationship. "

>

> Curhan also said the results probably did not stem from underlying

> conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis that might increase blood

> pressure risk. Factoring in that variable also did not change the

> results, he said.

>

> " Given that these medications are readily available over the counter

> and

> are used by a large proportion of the adult population, this

> association

> merits further study, " the researchers said.

>

>