Watch Out For Your Kidneys When You Use Medicines For Pain
What do you do if you have a headache, fever, or muscle pain? Chances are you go to the local drug store to pick up an overthecounter pain medicine. These drugs are the medicines most often used by Americans. Pain medicines, also called analgesics, help relieve pain, fever, and even inflammation. These medicines may help with arthritis, colds, headache , muscle aches, menstrual cramps, sinusitis and toothache.
These drugs are effective and usually safe. However, it is important to realize that no medicine is completely without risk. They should be used carefully. When used improperly, pain medicines can cause problems in the body, including the kidneys. According to the National Kidney Foundation, as many as 3 percent to 5 percent of new cases of chronic kidney failure each year may be caused by the overuse of these painkillers. Once kidney disease occurs, continued use of the problem drug makes it worse.
Nonprescription pain medicines should not be used without your doctors permission if you know you have low kidney function. Also, even if your kidney function is good, longterm use with high doses of these pain drugs may harm the kidneys. Kidney damage happens because high doses of the drugs have a harmful effect on kidney tissue and structures. These drugs can also reduce the blood flow to the kidney. If you are older, your kidneys may have a stronger reaction to these medicines and you may need a smaller dose.
This Reader Wants To Know If Acetaminophen Will Raise Blood Pressure:
Q. I have taken NSAIDs for pain relief, but they bump up my blood pressure. When I had some dental work done, I took Advil for the throbbing pain. When I checked my blood pressure, it had spiked about 40 points over my usual number.
Is Tylenol less likely to be a problem? I try to avoid pain meds as much as possible, but occasionally I have to take something.
Why Do Pain Medications Like Nsaids Cause Hypertension
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs work by blocking the COX enzymes COX-1 and COX-2. The COX enzymes are responsible for the production of prostaglandins, a group of body chemicals that take part in different processes in the body, including pain, inflammation, blood clotting, and blood flow. By prohibiting the activity of the COX enzymes, NSAIDs alleviate pain and inflammation.
So what is the relationship between NSAIDs, COX enzymes, and high blood pressure? COX-1 promotes blood flow to the kidneys and glomerular filtration rate GFR measures how much blood gets filtered every minute based on a persons body size. On the other hand, COX-2 regulates salt and water excretion. Blocking either or both of these enzymes will have negative effects on the kidneys. Therefore, blocking either or both of these enzymes impairs the flood flow to the kidneys and increases sodium retention, leading to edema, which is the build-up of fluid in the body, causing an increase in blood pressure.
Additionally, NSAIDs can have drug interactions with certain antihypertensive drugs like diuretics , ACE inhibitors, or ARBs . These interactions can make high blood pressure treatment less effective.
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Will Acetaminophen Raise Blood Pressure
The makers of Tylenol are advertising that their pain reliever
Wont raise blood pressure the way that Advil, Aleve or Motrin sometimes can.
That sounds reassuring, but you will notice that the commercial does not say acetaminophen wont raise blood pressure at all.
The question: does acetaminophen raise blood pressure? is complicated. Researchers have found that both acetaminophen and NSAIDs independently increase the risk of hypertension in women .
There is this analysis of 80,020 women in the Nurses Health Study II :
Conclusions: Use of NSAIDs and use of acetaminophen were significantly associated with increased risk of hypertension, but aspirin use was not. A substantial proportion of hypertension in the United States, and the associated morbidity and mortality, may be due to the use of these medications.
What To Do If You Have Heart Problems Or Kidney Disease
When people have pain, they often take pain medicines called NSAIDs . These include:
- Advil and Motrin . Ibuprofen is also in other over-the-counter drugs, such as cold medicines.
NSAIDs help ease pain and inflammation. But if you have high blood pressure, heart failure, or kidney disease, you should not take an NSAID. And you should not take any drugs that have ibuprofen or another NSAID in them. Heres why:
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Which Painkillers Can You Use If You Have Heart Or Kidney Disease
There is no simple answer. The best painkiller to use depends on your health problems. It also depends on any other drugs you take. Be sure to tell your doctor about any prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, or herbal medicines you take.
Over-the-counter Tylenol is often the best choice for people with high blood pressure, heart failure, or kidney problems.
- However, high doses of Tylenol can damage the liver, so take the lowest dose you can to get enough pain relief.
- Never take more than 4,000 milligrams a day. Thats equal to twelve 325 mg pills.
If Tylenol or generic acetaminophen do not work, ask your doctor about using a stronger prescription painkiller, such as Ultram for a short time.
- If you have kidney problems, do not take more than 200 mg a day. And take it once every 12 hours to limit the risk of side effects.
- Do not use tramadol if you have epilepsy or if you take Paxil , Prozac , or Zoloft . Taking tramadol with these drugs can increase your risk of seizures.
This report is for you to use when talking with your healthcare provider. It is not a substitute for medical advice and treatment. Use of this report is at your own risk.
08/2012
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How Can I Lower My Blood Pressure In Minutes
If your blood pressure is elevated and you want to see an immediate change, lie down and take deep breaths. This is how you lower your blood pressure within minutes, helping to slow your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. When you feel stress, hormones are released that constrict your blood vessels.
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Limit Your Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol consumption has increased since the start of the pandemic, says Dr. Ravindra. Multiple studies have shown excessive alcohol consumption is associated with developing chronic high blood pressure.
The Rx:Guidelines recommend no more than 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men, says Dr. Ravindra. This is not equivalent to a man drinking 7 drinks nightly for 2 nights.
Pain And Blood Pressure:
Dentists have noted that dental checkups and treatment can be stressful for some patients :
Local anesthesia and tooth extraction activate the adrenal cortex to produce cortisol. Changes in adrenaline or noradrenaline concentrations have been reported in plasma and urine after drilling and filling or extraction, and anticipation of a dental checkup increases blood pressure. Both diastolic and systolic blood pressure rise still further during restorative treatment without local anaesthesia and during extraction. In a study by the same authors, no significant changes in blood pressure were observed during restorative treatment with local anaesthesia, which suggests that the pain experienced by the patient contributes to the rise in blood pressure.
I am not at all surprised to learn that restorative treatment without local anesthesia and during extraction raised blood pressure. I am so old I can tell you that my first dentist used to drill my teeth with no local anesthesia. He also used a low-speed drill that vibrated my whole mouth. That was not a pleasant experience, but he was a kind and gentle man and I do not have a phobia about dental work.
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Acetaminophen Linked To Hypertension
Oct. 28, 2002 People with high blood pressure may be no better off taking acetaminophen for pain than other analgesics. A new study suggests that the pain reliever may increase the risk of hypertension to an even greater degree than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs .
Hypertensive patients with chronic pain are often warned against taking either over-the-counter or prescription NSAIDs because studies have linked them to increases in blood pressure. It has been widely believed that aspirin and acetaminophen do not affect blood pressure, but Harvard University researcher Gary Curhan, MD, ScD, says few studies have tested this.
Traditional NSAIDs include a host of pain relievers like the ibuprofen drugs Motrin, Advil, and Nuprin, and the naproxen drug Aleve. The prescription drugs Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra are among a newer class of NSAIDs, known as Cox-2 inhibitors.
In this study, Curhan and colleagues examined the long-term use of acetaminophen, NSAIDs, and aspirin among 80,000 women taking part in an ongoing health study. Their aim was to determine what, if any, association the three commonly used analgesic classes have on blood pressure.
None of the women included in the study had high blood pressure at the start of the study, and all were between the ages of 31 and 50. Roughly 1,600 were diagnosed with hypertension during the following eight years. The findings are reported Oct. 28 in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
By Maggie Fox, Health, Science Editor
Talk With Your Doctor
Acetaminophen drugs, such as Tylenol, are not NSAIDs. Acetaminophen does not treat inflammation. Still, acetaminophen can treat many of the same types of pain that NSAIDs treat. If you are unsure when to use either type of pain reliever, talk to your doctor. You should also talk to your doctor before you use acetaminophen if you have a medical condition or already take medication.
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The Connection Between Ra And High Blood Pressure
RA is usually diagnosed after symptoms like swelling and discomfort in joints become so painful that the person seeks medical or specialized rheumatology care. High blood pressure, however, may not produce obvious or noticeable symptoms.
Blood pressure is usually tested at regular doctors appointments. The reading is in millimeters of mercury and provides two numbers:
- Systolic blood pressure Measures blood pressure in your arteries when your heart beats
- Diastolic blood pressure Measures blood pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest
Sometimes, people are diagnosed with high blood pressure shortly after getting diagnosed with RA. Several factors may be responsible for the connection between high blood pressure and RA. Inflammation, RA medications, and physical inactivity due to RA are thought to play a part in this relationship.
Is Ibuprofen Bad For High Blood Pressure
The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may cause your blood pressure to rise even higher, which can put greater stress on your heart and kidneys as well. In addition to raising your risk for heart attack and stroke, NSAIDs can also increase your risk for diabetes. Ibuprofen and ibuprofen are two NSAIDs that can raise blood pressure.
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How Do Pain Relief Drugs Work
In a certain way, all pain is in your head. When we feel pain, it’s the result of an electrical signal being sent from the nerves in a part of your body to your brain.
But the whole process isn’t electrical. When tissue is injured , the cells release certain chemicals in response. These chemicals cause inflammation and amplify the electrical signal coming from the nerves. As a result, they increase the pain you feel.
Painkillers work by blocking the effects of these pain chemicals. The problem is that you can’t focus most pain relievers specifically on your headache or bad back. Instead, it travels through your whole body. This can cause some unexpected side effects.
What Do I Need To Tell My Doctor Before I Take Tylenol W/ Codeine
- If you have an allergy to acetaminophen, codeine, or any other part of Tylenol w/ Codeine .
- If you are allergic to Tylenol w/ Codeine any part of Tylenol w/ Codeine or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had.
- If you have any of these health problems: Lung or breathing problems like asthma, trouble breathing, or sleep apnea high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood or stomach or bowel block or narrowing.
- If you are taking any of these drugs: Buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, or pentazocine.
- If you have taken certain drugs for depression or Parkinsons disease in the last 14 days. This includes isocarboxazid, phenelzine,tranylcypromine, selegiline, or rasagiline. Very high blood pressure may happen.
- If you are taking any of these drugs: Linezolid or methylene blue.
- If you have been told by your doctor that you are a rapid metabolizer of some drugs.
- If you are breast-feeding. Do not breast-feed while you take Tylenol w/ Codeine .
This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with Tylenol w/ Codeine .
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take Tylenol w/ Codeine with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.
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How Tylenol Arthritis Works
Tylenol Arthritis contains two layersone that releases quickly for fast relief and one that releases slowly to provide lasting relief of up to eight hours. For these layers to work properly, you must swallow the caplets whole with water.
There is a total of 650 mg of acetaminophen in each tablet. Regular Strength and Extra Strength Tylenol do not have two layers and contain less acetaminophen per caplet, 325 mg, and 500 mg respectively.
Acetaminophen is an analgesic, meaning it relieves pain. Acetaminophen is not an anti-inflammatory, so it does not ease swelling. For this reason, Tylenol Arthritis is best for osteoarthritis and not inflammatory types of arthritis such as rheumatoid, reactive, or gout.
Acetaminophen is thought to work by interfering with hormones called prostaglandins, reducing pain sensations within the nerve endings, nervous system, and brain.
Tylenol Arthritis can temporarily relieve other types of pain such as general aches, muscle soreness, toothache, menstrual cramps, aches due to cold and flu, and back pain. As with other acetaminophen-containing drugs, Tylenol Arthritis can also help reduce fevers.
Can You Take Tylenol While On Blood Pressure Medicine
Bernadette Stone | Answered August 13, 2020
But it turns out, they come with plenty of risks especially for people with high blood pressure. The American Heart Association has long recommended acetaminophen as a safe alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen .Mar 25, 2022
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What Does High Blood Pressure Feel Like Does Tylenol Arthritis Raise Blood Pressure
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Sleeplessness & High Blood Pressure
If you are experiencing occasional sleeplessness and have high blood pressure or are taking medication to help manage high blood pressure, you may be wondering which over-the-counter nighttime sleep aid options may be right for you. TYLENOL® PM and SIMPLY SLEEP® both contain the active ingredient diphenhydramine. Read more about diphenhydramine and high blood pressure below. to buy a TYLENOL® PM product.
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What Are The Risks For People With High Blood Pressure
For people with high blood pressure, some types of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be risky. They include ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and ketoprofen, the active ingredients in medicines like Advil and Aleve.
Other pain relievers may be less dangerous. Aspirin is also an NSAID, but experts think that it’s safer for people with hypertension. Acetaminophen — the active ingredient in Tylenol — is a different type of painkiller that doesn’t raise blood pressure as a side effect. However, like any drug, it does have side effects of its own. You shouldn’t take any over-the-counter painkiller for more than 10 days without your health care provider’s approval.
Why are people with high blood pressure at special risk? Some of these NSAIDs reduce the blood flow to the kidneys. The kidneys — which filter your blood — work more slowly, and so fluid builds up in your body. The increased fluid drives up your blood pressure.
“When I have patients with heart disease that suddenly gets much worse,” Goldberg tells WebMD, “the first thing I ask them is if they’ve used an over-the-counter pain medicine.”
These drugs have additional risks. If you take them often enough and at a high enough dose, they can seriously damage the kidneys.
So, what’s a person with high blood pressure and a headache to do? In general, people with high blood pressure should use acetaminophen or possibly aspirin for over-the-counter pain relief.