Daily use of Tylenol has risks

Published 9:00 pm Monday, August 15, 2005

Women whose daily routine includes a dose of Tylenol may want to think twice.

Everyday use of acetaminophen, a common over-the-counter pain reliever used in products such as Tylenol, could mean a greater risk of high blood pressure, a new study suggests.

The risk of high blood pressure was about double among women who took more than 500 milligrams a day, the dose commonly used in a single extra-strength Tylenol pill. The increased risk could develop in about three years.

Since the drug is so widely used, daily long-term use could contribute to the nation’s high rates of high blood pressure, according to the study, published online Monday in the American Heart Association’s journal, Hypertension.

Yet two area health-care specialists said that women should not be overly concerned about using the pain reliever for specific, short-term use.

“I do get a little concerned about people worrying about this too much,” said Teresa O’Sullivan, a lecturer in the University of Washington’s School of Pharmacy.

If women have enough pain to take 500 milligrams of the over-the-counter pain reliever for long-term daily use, they should see a health-care provider to find out what’s causing their pain, she said, rather than trying to treat the pain on their own.

“The rest of the people, don’t lose any sleep over it,” she said.

Studies that analyze data from a large number of people can only look for links, she said.

“They can’t prove that one thing caused another.” There could be other causes of the women’s hypertension, she said.

Most people do not take common pain relievers, such as Tylenol, every day, said Dr. Lisa Keithley, a family practice physician at The Everett Clinic.

“I do feel moderation is definitely a key factor here,” she said. “If you’re taking it on an infrequent basis, I would say it’s still fine to use.”

Women concerned about blood pressure may want to consider coated aspirin as their first choice for pain, Keithley said.

The warning about acetaminophen follows a string of health problems recently associated with common nonprescription pain relievers.

Ibuprofen, sold under the brand names of Advil and Motrin, also has been linked to high blood pressure.

And some patients can’t or don’t want to use aspirin, which can irritate the stomach.

The study of acetaminophen involved 5,123 women participating in the Nurses Health Study at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. None had had high blood pressure when it began.

The research found that aspirin still remains the safest medicine for pain relief.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.