Women who take daily doses of extra-strength Tylenol® need to monitor their blood pressure
Women who take daily doses of extra-strength Tylenol® need to monitor their blood pressure, according to a study published online in the August 15 Hypertension. The study involved 5,123 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. None had high blood pressure when the trial began. Women ages 34–77 who took an average daily dose of more than 500 milligrams of acetaminophen had about double the risk of developing high blood pressure within 3 years. Risk also rose for those who took daily doses of ibuprofen. Aspirin was not “significantly associated” with elevated blood pressure among study participants.
If you are training a child who participates in an organized sport, be cognizant of complaints that may signal a more serious injury. Speaking on behalf of the Sports Medicine Institute for Young Athletes at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery, medical director Jordan D. Metzl, MD, said that “sports injuries are becoming the most common reason young people are going to the emergency room.”
Here are some common problems that might indicate a doctor’s visit is in order:
- “Little League shoulder”—a pitching overuse injury that can affect growth plates in the shoulder and have long-term consequences
- “runner’s shin pain”—shin pain that results in impaired performance and requires rest and strength development
- “I fell on my wrist” pain—wrist pain that is disregarded after a fall but continues, owing to a hairline fracture
According to a paper released by the Florida Osteoporosis Board, osteoporosis will have a marked economic impact over the next 20 years. The research team found that the economic burden of incident osteoporotic fractures in the United States is projected to be almost $17 billion in 2005 and $209 billion over the next decade. Over the next 20 years, nonwhites will account for a growing proportion of the fractures and their related costs: Fractures in this population will increase from 282,000 (13% of total) in 2005 to more 637,000 (21% of total) by 2025; costs will rise from $1.9 billion (12% of total) to over $4.7 billion (19% of total).
