(HealthDay News) — Only about 30% of US adults have spoken with their healthcare professional about the adverse effects some over-the-counter pain relievers can have on blood pressure, according to a poll released by the American Heart Association.
The online poll included approximately 3,000 US adults. According to the results of the survey, nearly 50% of respondents took medication for pain once a week or more. Of all age groups, adults aged 45 to 54 years reported taking over-the-counter pain relievers most frequently. Of respondents who had received a diagnosis of high blood pressure, white and Asian adults (40%) were significantly less likely than Black (54.2%) and Hispanic (54.1%) adults to have ever discussed the effect some pain relievers have on blood pressure with a healthcare professional.
“It’s paramount that people who have high blood pressure, or are at risk for it, understand the effects associated with some over-the-counter pain relievers,” Mitchell S.V. Elkind, MD, chief clinical science officer of the American Heart Association, said in a statement. “Some over-the-counter pain relievers are safer than others. A conversation with a healthcare professional about pain relief options is essential to preventing and managing high blood pressure.”
