Acetominophen Protects Against Heart Damage

The medicine in the pain reliever acetominophen (Tylenol) has been linked to improved heart muscle recovery after ischemic attacks.

Researchers at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (Brunswick, USA) have reported finding significant improvement in hearts treated with acetaminophen following periods of induced ischemia, compared to nontreated hearts. The rapid post-ischemia recovery of heart muscle was attributed to the antioxidant properties of acetaminophen.

"We now have results from several published studies that suggest acetaminophen exerts an antioxidant effect on heart muscle cells, blocking the damage caused by chemicals known as oxidants,” said Gary F. Merrill, a professor in the department of cell biology and neuroscience at Rutgers, who has been conducting research on the effects of acetaminophen on the heart for several years. Until further studies confirm the benefit, however, Prof. Merrill cautions that current acetaminophen users should not deviate from their recommended dosages.

Similar findings by Dr. Addison Taylor at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX, USA) and Prof. Philip Greenspan of the University of Chicago College of Pharmacy (IL, USA) also indicate that acetaminophen may play a role in preventing some of the damaging effects of cardiovascular disease. In addition, separate investigations by Drs. Taylor and Greenspan show that acetaminophen may help protect against hardening of the arteries.



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