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Acetaminophen is often recommended for pain relief in patients with hypertension because nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are known to raise blood pressure (BP). Observational studies, however, suggest that acetaminophen may also raise blood pressure. Now, researchers have investigated this issue in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.
The investigators randomized 110 patients with hypertension (but without chronic pain) to receive 1 g oral acetaminophen 4 times daily or matching placebo for 2 weeks, followed by a 2-week washout period and then the alternate treatment for 2 weeks. The acetaminophen preparation had negligible sodium content. Adherence to protocol was evaluated with acetaminophen assays.
Regular acetaminophe…