What is the Connection Between Aspirin and Hypertension?

There is some discussion in the medical community about the link between aspirin and hypertension. Aspirin therapy has historically been recommended to people with certain cardiovascular diseases, as well as individuals with pre-hypertension, a rise in blood pressure above normal values associated with the eventual development of high blood pressure. However, studies have also shown that there is a correlation between the long term use of analgesic medications like aspirin and an increase in the incidence of hypertension.

Aspirin therapy is designed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular incidents and lower blood pressure. In people with pre-hypertension, taking aspirin before bed has been linked in a number of studies with reductions in blood pressure. This particular connection between aspirin and hypertension is well known and widely accepted in the medical community. Aspirin therapy is typically provided in very low doses that would have a mild anti-inflammatory and analgesic benefit for the patient.

In studies linking aspirin and hypertension risk, it is possible that the study subjects may have developed hypertension because they were taking larger doses of aspirin than are typically used in aspirin therapy. People taking aspirin for management of pain and inflammation tend to take the maximum recommended dose, rather than the relatively low dose used in preventative therapy. Researchers have also suggested that there may be another factor involved causing people to experience pain and hypertension, and that this factor, rather than the aspirin, is the cause of the increase in blood pressure.

It is important to be aware that aspirin taken in long doses over an extended period of time can lead to organ damage, particularly liver damage. People taking regular high doses of aspirin may want to discuss the risks associated with aspirin and hypertension with their doctors. It is possible that another pain management plan may be safer and more effective, and a doctor may want to run some liver function tests to check for damage to the liver. Being aware of the risks and benefits of the aspirin is also recommended before embarking on aspirin therapy, and these issues should be discussed with a medical practitioner if aspirin therapy is recommended.

The bottom line on aspirin and hypertension is that low doses of aspirin as used in aspirin therapy are probably safe for patients and have benefits that may outweigh the risks associated with aspirin use. High doses of aspirin are a cause for concern and should be discussed with a doctor.