Achy joints? Sore muscles? Bad headache? Before you reach for the bottle in your medicine cabinet for relief, read on to get a better understanding of what you’re taking and how it can affect your whole body. This is especially true if you have certain health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular risk and more.
If you have one of the following medical conditions, learn more and see if TYLENOL® may be a better pain relief choice for you. And remember, always read the label, follow directions before taking any medication, and talk to your doctor if you have any questions.
High Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure or are taking medication to help manage high blood pressure, you may be wondering which over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever may be right for you. Pain relievers may affect blood pressure. Certain NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil®/Motrin®) and even naproxen sodium (Aleve®) can sometimes impact sodium and water retention in the kidneys and increase resistance of blood vessels—which can raise blood pressure. Some NSAIDs can also interact with certain blood pressure treatments, such as diuretics, and can reduce their effectiveness. TYLENOL® works in a way that doesn’t interfere with certain blood pressure medication like NSAIDs sometimes can. TYLENOL® is the #1 doctor recommended pain relief brand for those with high blood pressure. If you have questions on whether TYLENOL® is right for you, ask your doctor.
Diabetes
Diabetes is treatable, but even when glucose levels are under control it greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Certain NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen sodium may increase the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. Given the fact that those with diabetes may have increased cardiovascular risk, TYLENOL® may be the right OTC pain reliever for you.
Stomach Conditions
You take a pain reliever because you want to feel better, but some can actually make you feel worse by causing stomach issues. Naturally occurring chemicals, called prostaglandins, help to protect the stomach lining, but they are also responsible for causing pain. NSAIDs block production of these chemicals, so you experience pain relief, but you also reduce protection for the stomach lining, which can lead to irritation. TYLENOL® is the #1 doctor recommended pain relief brand for people with stomach problems. It is gentle on your stomach—and you can even take it on an empty stomach!
Kidney Disease
The National Kidney Foundation recommends acetaminophen, the active ingredient in TYLENOL®, as the pain reliever of choice for occasional use in patients that have underlying kidney disease. TYLENOL® does not affect kidney function the way that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin (Bayer®), naproxen sodium (Aleve®), and ibuprofen (Advil®, MOTRIN® IB) can.
