Painkillers raise blood pressure

[Guest guest]

[hsibaltimore.com]

 

In March, a new study revealed that the regular use of aspirin and other

painkillers may boost blood pressure in men. In a report on Good Morning

America, ABC Medical Editor Dr. Tim Johnson began by noting that " we

know " high doses of these painkillers cause salt retention. REALLY? We

know that? I expect that most of the people out there who unfailingly

avoid salt in their diets to avoid HBP would be surprised to learn that

their daily aspirin – taken to avoid heart disease – might be adding

to their blood pressure problem.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School

followed more than 16,000 middle-aged men who had no history of blood

pressure. After four years, when aspirin intake was singled out,

subjects who took aspirin six to seven days each week increased HBP risk

by 28 percent. Similar use of acetaminophen was found to increase HBP

risk by 34 percent.

 

http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealerts/ea200703/ea20070307a.html