Many might assume that over-the-counter (OTC) medications are generally safer than stronger prescription drugs, but research shows they can still present risks for some.
Certain common OTC painkillers have been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart attacks.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — which are used to reduce pain, fever and inflammation — have been pinpointed as the class of medicines most linked to elevated cardiovascular risk.
"This is because they reduce the production of certain chemicals called prostaglandins," Maryam Jowza, M.D., an anesthesiologist at UNC Health in North Carolina, told Fox News Digital. "These chemicals are involved in inflammation, but they are also involved in other body functions, such as influencing the tone of blood vessels."
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