Does acetaminophen cause high blood pressure?

Ah, acetaminophen – the beloved pain reliever of millions and a staple in every medicine cabinet. But can this wonder drug have an unexpected side effect? Could it cause high blood pressure? We decided to investigate.

What is Acetaminophen?

Before we dive into whether or not acetaminophen causes high blood pressure, let’s first understand what exactly this magic pill is. Acetaminophen (paracetamol for our British friends) is a widely used over-the-counter medication that helps alleviate pain and reduce fever. It’s commonly found in products like Tylenol, Panadol, Calpol etc.; you get the picture.

If you are suffering from headaches, a toothache or even menstrual cramps (ouch!), acetaminophen could be your best friend – provided you follow the dosage guidelines as recommended by physicians.

Can Acetaminophen Cause High Blood Pressure?

Now back to our initial question: can taking too much acetaminophen lead to high blood pressure woes? The short answer is no! Phew… now take a deep breath and keep reading because there’s more!

Several studies have been conducted on whether there exists any correlation between consuming excessive dosages of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including acetaminophens left over death residues with hypertension development but they were mostly inconclusive or had contradicting outcomes leading up to the requirement of further researches with rigorous methodologies.

The FDA approved underlined warning stating that prolonged use of NSAIDs could potentially lead one towards life-threatening cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke still stands strong although; however these risks seem to depend upon various predispositions among individuals.

Myth Busted

So dear readers, rest easy because popping some extra-strength Tylenol isn’t going to give you hypertension. This is just a myth, which can now officially be marked as busted.

Short-Term Effects of Acetaminophen

Although there’s good news on the ‘high blood pressure’ front, excessive consumption or an overdose of acetaminophen can still cause some serious damage.

Here are some short-term effects that indicate you should consider laying off the acetaminophen for a while:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain and cramps
• Excessive sweating
• Fatigue

If you happen to experience any of these symptoms after taking too much acetaminophen then stop taking them immediately and contact your physician at once. Better safe than sorry! Plus, they might give you something better; like popsicles!

Long-Term Effects of Acetaminophen

In case an individual has been consuming more than required dosage persistently (say whaaa?) this could take a toll on their liver which is responsible for removing wastes including drugs from our bodies. A high dose use of it could cause severe liver toxicity leading towards several chronic health problems in oneself decreasing life to one’s years.( We’re not even kidding!)

So let’s quickly run through what potential long term effects popping pills and exceeding specific dosage limits on regular basis leads us to:

S#	Effect
1	Liver Damage
2	Kidney Failure
3	Brain Damage (in rare cases)

Yes…the warning labels aren’t just print beautiful decoration – be cautious about overusing and swallowing down handfuls per day like candy because with such behaviors come hefty damages eventually.

Complete abstinence sounds tough but perhaps withdrawals aren’t so scary compared to enduring irreversible illnesses.

## Taking Precautions

As always it’s best practice when self-medicating with any drug should involve checking and verifying appropriate dosages from the product’s packaging or consulting with a physician beforehand.

Moreover, drinking alcohol while taking acetaminophen can also cause harm to one’s liver – so steer clear at all costs! You wouldn’t want your gossip barriers being lowered because of damaged neurons in that beautiful brain of yours!

There are always safer options as well; other medicinal herbals remedies included.

The Bottom Line

To sum it up: is acetaminophen linked to high blood pressure? Nope, no link honey! However going beyond safe limits could lead towards chronic health issues over time like – say it with me people:

Liver Damage

Kidney Failure

And sometimes even Brain Damage.

Be mindful whenever you’re looking for quick fixes and if possible make organic changes initially before turning onto pills in general.

Follow the guidelines on dosage requirements, consult a medical practitioner before consuming any drugs, In short whatever you do…gulp down those meds responsibly!