Warning issued to anyone who takes paracetamol regularly with common health issue

Paracetamol is often prescribed for people suffering from chronic pain

Anybody who takes paracetamol regularly and has high blood pressure has been warned of the potential health risks that can come from doing this.

According to the scientists at the University of Edinburgh, the effect that paracetamol has on blood pressure is similar to non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, which are known to increase the levels of the health problem.They can also heighten the risk of heart disease and strokes, despite often being prescribed for chronic pain.

As a result, researchers say patients who have a long-term prescription for the painkiller should be given the lowest effective dose for the shortest time possible. It was previously assumed that paracetamol was a safe drug to use in people with high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

The increase in blood pressure might be expected to increase the risk of heart disease or stroke by around 20%, the experts say.

They suggest the 2022 study, which was published in the journal Circulation, should lead to a review of long-term paracetamol prescriptions to patients – especially those with the condition, or those at particular risk of heart disease or stroke.

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.

“Doctors and patients together should consider the risks versus the benefits of long-term paracetamol prescription, especially in patients at risk of cardiovascular disease. 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: “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 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.

In the study, 110 patients with a history of high blood pressure were prescribed 1g of paracetamol four times a day – a dose often prescribed for patients with chronic pain – or a placebo for two weeks each. Researchers found there was a significant spike in the blood pressure of those taking the painkiller, compared with those taking the placebo.

The scientists highlight that a limitation of their study was that it did not look at patients who have chronic pain – but they say there’s no reason why people who take paracetamol for this reason would have a different response to the study participants.

Dr Richard Francis, head of research at the Stroke Association, said: “High blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for stroke.

“This new and robust study adds to previous research and suggests regular paracetamol causes blood pressure to quickly increase in people who are already at risk of stroke and heart attacks.

“It’s therefore important that doctors regularly review and weigh up the risks and benefits of prescribing paracetamol.”

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