This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Link between painkillers and heart attack risk, study suggests
A new study published in The BMJ has warned that there may be a link between taking high doses of non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAID), such as ibuprofen and the risk of suffering a heart attack.
The research builds on a previous body of work which linked NSAIDs to heart problems and suggests the risk could be greatest in the first 30 days of taking the drugs.
In the study an international team of scientists analysed data from 446,763 people from Canada, Finland and the UK to try to understand when heart problems might arise. They examined information on people prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, celecoxib and naproxen) by doctors rather than those who bought the painkillers over the counter.
The findings indicated that taking NSAIDS to treat pain and inflammation could raise the risk of heart attacks even in the first week of use and especially in the first month when taking high doses.
Current UK guidelines state that NSAIDS should be used carefully in people with heart problems and in some cases (such as very severe heart failure) they should not be used at all.
Commenting on the research, Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of statistics at The Open University, maintained the paper threw some light on possible relationships between NSAID painkillers and heart attacks.
But he added: "Despite the large number of patients involved, some aspects do still remain pretty unclear. It remains possible that the painkillers aren't actually the cause of the extra heart attacks."
Meanwhile, Prof Helen Stokes-Lampard, GP leader, said: "The use of NSAIDS in general practice to treat patients with chronic pain is reducing, and some of the drugs in this study are no longer routinely prescribed in the UK, such as coxibs, as we know that long-term use can lead to serious side-effects for some patients."
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