Will aspirin raise your blood pressure?
Aspirin is a household name when it comes to pain relief. It’s used to treat headaches, menstrual cramps, toothaches, and many other types of pain. Aspirin has also been shown to have some health benefits like reducing the risk of heart attacks, preventing clotting disorders and even lowering cancer risk! But there are concerns about whether or not taking aspirin can lead to an increase in blood pressure.
What is Blood Pressure?
Before we delve into the relationship between aspirin and high blood pressure, let’s first understand what blood pressure means. Blood pressure measures the force at which your heart pumps blood through your circulatory system. Your doctor would usually check your blood pressure by placing an inflatable cuff around your arm! It feels like someone squeezing you very hard, but don’t worry; it only lasts for a few seconds.
Blood pressures measurements are represented by two numbers: systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number). Systolic refers to when the heart contracts while pumping out blood while diastolic indicates when it relaxes as they fill with fresh oxygenated red cells!
Normal range: 120/80-130/85 mmHg
High Range: above 140/90 mmHg
How Does Aspirin Work on Pain Relief?
Let us talk briefly about how aspirins work before we answer our question!!!
Aspirins belong to a class of medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which helps reduce inflammation and alleviate fever/pain by blocking certain enzymes that cause these symptoms – Cyclooxygenase (COX1&2).
By inhibiting COX enzymes’ activity in specific parts of our body such as platelets sites – tiny fragments found in our bloodstream responsible for forming clots; thus affecting their ability to form clumps contributing to the blood’s thickness!
Blood Pressure and Aspirin
Now that we’ve covered the preliminary understanding of aspirin, let us talk about how this drug can affect blood pressure?
According to Harvard Health Publications, taking low doses of aspirin regularly might increase systolic blood pressure. One study suggested an increase in systolic blood pressure by 2 mm Hg after a week or two weeks daily ingestion.
Yet another study concluded that this increase in BP is small compared to some other medications’ effect on it. The same study noted non-aspirin NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen) had more significant impacts than the insignificant impact attributed to aspirins.
That shows us that even though there may be slight increases following their usage, they are not strong enough causes for you to worry about stopping your medication regimen if necessary!
Factors which Affect Aspirin’s Impact on Blood Pressure
Various factors could influence how much or little aspirins affect people’s blood pressures! Here are some significant contributors:
Dose Size
Currently, a prevalent dosage used for pain relief and stroke prevention with other therapeutic uses recommended lies between 81mg-325mg daily.
A large dose like 1000mg-4000 mg per day for long periods poses an increased risk of cardiovascular complications like high BP.
Frequency/Maintenance Scheduling
Taking low-dose daily maintenance schedules reduces risks associated with myocardial infarction while still providing potent anti-inflammatory/platelet effects contributing cumulatively over several months!!
Timing and Duration
Your body experiences minute differences at specific times during the intake schedule!
Intakes arranged with longer intervals offer better symptomatic injury improvements but less effective anti-thrombotic results.
Whereas shorter interval intakes have opposite impacts regarding worsening musculoskeletal pains outcome too short-term remedies become insufficient.
Medical History
Individuals’ medical history’s nature plays a vital role in the effect that aspirin has on one’s blood pressures. Concerns about your present conditions such as:
- Hypertension
- Stress Disorders
- Platelet disorders
You ought to advise with medical professionals before beginning treatment with aspirin drugs!!
Risks Involved in Aspirins Usage
The usage of aspirins carries some predictable side effects while taking their dosages! Here are a few things you may expect when using them.
Gastrointestinal Bleeds/Stomach Pain
Overuse of NSAIDs is associated with stomach bleeding, gastritis and other upper gastrointestinal adverse results.
Irregular Bleeding
NSAIDs interfere with platelets’ activity resulting in difficulties clotting/concentration issues aka bleeding tendencies!
Allergic Reactions
Some individuals might exhibit an allergic reaction to the drug on ingestion ranging from mild rashes-hives, shortness of breath-closing throat or even severe life-threatening Anaphylaxis!!!!
Tinnitus or Hearing loss:
Prolonged periods, especially high doses associated predominantly with tinnitus/ high-pitched sounds” can also lead to hearing loss.
As we’ve seen throughout this article – Low dosage regular intake doesn’t typically pose any significant risks since many pain relief medications come along similar weak elevations compared to those recorded for Aspirins. The science behind the various ways our body reacts differently due to varying factors shows there’s no one-size-fits-all answer either yay or nay; it’s essential always to consult physicians before embarking on new medication regimens!!
However, if already experiencing resultant discomfort alongside parallel BP surges indicative of intolerable reactions immediately discontinue its use and swiftly seek medical assistance!!!