Are painkillers' risks worth the benefits?

Women with a low risk for cardiovascular disease who suffer from osteoarthritis shouldn't stop taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen based on the study, says Jones. Yet for those with mild pain and high heart risk, "I would recommend that she not use the analgesics for pain on a regular basis."

But for short-term use, the benefits likely outweigh the risks.

"When I get a headache tonight, am I going to take a Tylenol? Absolutely," says Jones.

Dr. Suman Wason, senior director of global medical affairs at Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, which makes Advil, notes that all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including ibuprofen, can increase blood pressure "a few millimeters per person," but the elevation goes away when the medication is stopped.

The label on Advil recommends that an individual take no more than 1,200 mg a day for not more than 10 days.

"If you follow the label on Advil and take as directed, you will not have problems," says Wasson.

What about men and children?
The study looked at women, but what about men or very young children who are often given acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever or teething pain?

In prior studies, ibuprofen and other NSAIDs have been associated with hypertension in both men and women, but the effects of acetaminophen have not yet been studied in men, says Forman.

Messerli, who was not associated with the study, believes the effects could be similar in men. "If there is indeed a real association between Tylenol and high blood pressure, it's probably the same in men as in women."

At the same time, children whose cardiovascular systems are typically healthier than older adults wouldn't likely be harmed by an elevation in blood pressure, he says. Most at risk would be elderly patients for whom a slight increase in blood pressure could have major negative repercussions.

A bigger question is whether Americans have become too comfortable with popping a pill for pain or other discomfort.

Heavy use of nonprescription painkillers like Tylenol, aspirin and ibuprofen have been associated with chronic kidney disease. Tylenol at high doses can be toxic to the liver. In 2000, the Food and Drug Administration pulled over-the-counter nasal decongestants that contained phenylpropanolamine because it was associate with strokes.

"We should avoid the belief that all OTC medications are safe, when, in fact, they are not," says Forman. "By pointing out potential risks associated with these drugs, more informed choices can be made by women and their clinicians."

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