A daily dose of Paracatomol could increase your risk of heart attacks, strokes and early death according to a new study.
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Those patients who are prescribed particularly high doses of the painkiller over lengthy periods are up to 63% more likely to die unexpectedly.
Heart attack and stroke risks were increased by 68% and there was a 50% likelihood of an ulcer or stomach bleed.
Doctors consider Paracetamol to be safer than aspirin, which has been known to cause stomach bleeds and ibuprofen and has been linked to heart attacks and strokes in the past.
In a recent study involving 666,000 patients, it would seem that these risks have been underestimated and scientists are asking for a review on the safety of the drug.
Scientists believe that Paracetamol is causing illness as it prevents the enzyme in the body called COX-2 to work.
Those from the Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine focused on eight studies involving patients who took Paracetamol daily, for a period of 14 years for arthritis and back pain.
They compared these to patients who rarely took the drug.
Philip Conaghan, who fronted the research, said that for many patients, the risks were only small as they were more likely to have illnesses that would kill them early anyway. Due to this is was not possible to differentiate if it was the illness or the drugs that were causing these premature deaths. The professor added: 'I am a bit worried that Paracetamol at high dose for long periods could be associated with side effects that we hadn't previously associated.' Patients being prescribed the drugs for long periods for arthritis or muscle and joint pain should talk to their doctor about alternative treatments, such as exercise.
Published in the journal, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, the study concluded: 'Given its high usage and availability, a systematic review of Paracetomol's efficacy and tolerability in individual conditions is warranted.'
Professor Conaghan revealed that it was not possible from the results of the studies to work out if a person was at a higher risk of a heart attack or stroke if administered the drug over a long period of time.
One in six men and one in ten women will die from a heart attack or stroke or from other complications related to heart disease.
Professor Nick Bateman, who specialises in clinical toxicology at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Based on this study the risk is minimal. Paracetamol remains the safest analgesic available, and this study should not stop people taking it.
'Based on these results, the lowest effective dose for the shortest necessary period is advised, this is common sense for all medicines.'
Paracetamol remains the most popular painkiller in the UK with 22.5 million prescriptions signed off for it each year. 200 million packs are sold in over the counter.
The NHS does not track there figures, in Canada 5% of the population are prescribed one high dose of Paracetamol every year.
Source: Mail Online