Most adults have popped a dose of Tylenol, Motrin or Advil at some point; many have used those drugs within the past week or even the past hour. Sold without a prescription, these medicines are convenient and widely available. But are they too easy to use?
A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine has suggested that frequent use of common OTC medications can increase a woman’s risk for hypertension. Researchers from Harvard sent questionnaires to more than 80,000 women between the ages of 31 and 50 enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study II. They wanted to know what type of OTC pain relievers these women took and how frequently they consumed the medications over a two-year period.
The results raised eyebrows. Women who used products containing acetaminophen (Tylenol, Excedrin, Anacin) one to four days per month had an associated risk increase of high blood pressure of 22 percent. Women who took NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin, Alleve, Ibuprofen) had an associated risk increase of 17 percent. Further analysis showed that the more frequently these products were consumed, the greater the associated risk. Women taking NSAIDs 22 days per month saw an increased risk of 86 percent, while those taking acetaminophen at the same frequency saw their risk doubled. There was no associated risk with aspirin–though this class of drugs has its own side effects, most notably gastrointestinal bleeding. While it has been known for some time that NSAIDs are associated with an increased risk for hypertension, but little has been known about the risk posed by acetaminophen.
This increased risk of hypertension doesn’t necessarily mean anyone should stop taking pain relievers. “No one study should ever change treatment decisions, said Dr. Gary Curhan, the study’s lead author. “But given the size of this study and the dramatic risk increase, patients and doctors should at least pay closer attention to how these drugs are used.”
The makers of these drugs not surprisingly, disagree with the findings. They point out that the study only showed an association between the use of these drugs and an increased risk of hypertension. They say it failed to “prove” that increased medication consumption actually “caused” the hypertension. A valid point, according to many clinicians.
This increased risk of hypertension doesn’t necessarily mean anyone should stop taking pain relievers. “No one study should ever change treatment decisions, said Dr. Gary Curhan, the study’s lead author. “But given the size of this study and the dramatic risk increase, patients and doctors should at least pay closer attention to how these drugs are used.”
The makers of these drugs not surprisingly, disagree with the findings. They point out that the study only showed an association between the use of these drugs and an increased risk of hypertension. They say it failed to “prove” that increased medication consumption actually “caused” the hypertension. A valid point, according to many clinicians.
