Be careful out there. Hopefully your doctor warns you about this.
Acetaminophen May Increase Stroke Risk for Older Adults With Diabetes
Acetaminophen may increase the risk of stroke for older adults with diabetes, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Philippe Gerard, MD, Gérontopôle, Centre Hospitalo–Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France, and colleagues used information from the IQUARE study, which relied on 2 different questionnaires completed online by nursing home staffers. The researchers looked at deaths, myocardial infarctions (MIs), and strokes that took place during the 18-month study period.
Of the 5,429 participants in the study, 3,190 were not taking acetaminophen and 2,239 were taking acetaminophen. Participants were aged about 86 years and 74% were women.
The researchers reported that acetaminophen did not affect the number of MIs and did not increase in overall deaths.
The number of strokes was about the same in both groups -- about 5% in the acetaminophen group and 4% among those who did not take acetaminophen.
However, in participants who had diabetes, there was a significantly higher risk for stroke among people who took acetaminophen (hazard ratio = 3.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-8.18; P = .0157).
The researchers concluded that acetaminophen is a safe first choice in pain management for most older adults but should be considered with a bit more caution for older adults with diabetes.
“My personal message to the people in my everyday practice is that any drug they take may have some form of harmful side effect unknown to them, even those they can buy over the counter,” said Dr. Gerard. “It is always best to check with your healthcare provider before you take any new medication, and make sure you’re taking the dose that’s right for you.”
Reference: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jgs.15861
SOURCE: American Geriatrics Society
Philippe Gerard, MD, Gérontopôle, Centre Hospitalo–Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France, and colleagues used information from the IQUARE study, which relied on 2 different questionnaires completed online by nursing home staffers. The researchers looked at deaths, myocardial infarctions (MIs), and strokes that took place during the 18-month study period.
Of the 5,429 participants in the study, 3,190 were not taking acetaminophen and 2,239 were taking acetaminophen. Participants were aged about 86 years and 74% were women.
The researchers reported that acetaminophen did not affect the number of MIs and did not increase in overall deaths.
The number of strokes was about the same in both groups -- about 5% in the acetaminophen group and 4% among those who did not take acetaminophen.
However, in participants who had diabetes, there was a significantly higher risk for stroke among people who took acetaminophen (hazard ratio = 3.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-8.18; P = .0157).
The researchers concluded that acetaminophen is a safe first choice in pain management for most older adults but should be considered with a bit more caution for older adults with diabetes.
“My personal message to the people in my everyday practice is that any drug they take may have some form of harmful side effect unknown to them, even those they can buy over the counter,” said Dr. Gerard. “It is always best to check with your healthcare provider before you take any new medication, and make sure you’re taking the dose that’s right for you.”
Reference: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jgs.15861
SOURCE: American Geriatrics Society
user_23B41B098 replied on
Very questionable
Dr K replied on
This
is a classic error in multivariate analysis. If you a priori look at
multiple variables that may be associated with stroke, you will
typically get 5 percent of them associated with stroke at a 95%
confidence interval.
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