The sodium levels of certain dissolvable painkillers are a potential health risk, according to new research now published by the British Medical Journal.
Those behind it state that particular formulations, at their maximum dosages, can push patients above and beyond recommended daily salt intake levels. Specifically, eight soluble paracetamol doses per day could be enough to make patients over 20 per cent more at risk of having a stroke, 28 per cent more at risk of premature death and a staggering seven times more likely to develop elevated blood pressure.
Based at the University of Dundee, the researchers urge for these painkillers to boast stronger warning labels and stress that patients need to exercise caution.
Painkiller Sodium
The university's painkiller sodium levels study assessed soluble aspirin, calcium, zinc, ibuprofen and many other supplements and drugs. All of them were available both over the counter and via prescription.
Close to 1.3 million patient data sets were examined, involving people who had taken sodium-content drugs or sodium-free drugs and the next few years of their lives were then looked at. On average, if health problems emerged, they did so in the fourth year.
Painkiller Health Risks
The painkiller health risk researchers make the point that soluble drugs are required in cases where rapid drug delivery is needed, or if the patients involved can't swallow pills too well. Doctors, they add, should really consider the circumstances when issuing sodium-content painkiller prescriptions, while the public needs to be better guided on what they're buying when purchasing these medications from pharmacies.
"We believe that our findings are potentially of public health importance", the researchers commented. "As a minimum, the public should be warned about the potential hazards of high sodium consumption in prescribed medicines, and these should be clearly labelled with the sodium content in the same way as foods are labelled."
"It's crucial to be aware of our sodium intake, as it is a component of salt. Excess salt in our diet can lead to high blood pressure, which is the single biggest risk factor for stroke", added Stroke Association neuroscientist Doctor Madina Kara, in comments quoted by The Telegraph. "A diet low in saturated salt and fat, regular exercise and blood pressure checks can go a long way to keeping your stroke risk down."
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