Pain Relievers Could Be Spiking Your Blood Pressure

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120320142111.htm

ScienceDaily (Mar. 20, 2012) — Diseases such as kidney failure and endocrine tumors are among the suspects causing high blood pressure -- but could the common pain relievers in your medicine cabinet be the culprit?

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Though much of the time a course of treatment can be altered to account for the dangers of hypertension, that isn't always the case. For example, new anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs, which may increase blood pressure, block the formation of new blood vessels and arteries to solid tumors. Because the drugs are so effective in treating these malignancies, the benefit outweighs the cost, he believes.

But that doesn't mean that patients shouldn't be watched closely for signs of hypertension. "Once a patient has won a longer life with the use of these drugs, you don't want to expose them to problems associated with blood pressure, such as stroke," says Prof. Grossman. There are simple ways to counteract drug-induced hypertension, such as the thoughtful addition of anti-hypertensive medications to a treatment plan, he says.

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