PAINKILLERS CAN CAUSE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Popular painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen can increase blood pressure and thus the risk of heart disease among men, U.S. researchers reported on Monday. Men who took such drugs for most days in a week were about one-third more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure than men not taking them, the researchers found.

Their findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, reinforce a study published in 2002 that these commonly used drugs raise blood pressure in women.

The Heart Association was especially worried about the use of COX-2 inhibitors, prescription arthritis drugs designed to be safer than NSAIDS. Many have been found to actually raise heart risk and cause strokes.