Ibuprofen and Diclofenac Increase Risk of Heart Attack
June 2, 2006 by Lei
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Ibuprofen and diclofenac, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are some of the most popular over-the-counter painkillers available most anywhere. A recent study by the British Medical Council has found that they also double the risk of heart attack and increase the overall risk of heart attacks, stroke, or vascular disease by 40 percent if they are taken at high doses. Researcher conclude that NSAIDS could affect the heart as much as Cox 2 category painkillers, including Vioxx.
Professor Robert Moots, professor of rheumatology at Liverpool University and clinical advisor to Arthritis Research Campaign, said:
These drugs can be a lifeline for patients. No drug can be guaranteed against side effects and the heart risks are fairly modest.
In clinical trials patients are taking high dose drugs religiously for long periods of time but real life isn’t like that.
People take them when they need to so the risks are probably lower and when explained to patients many want to continue using painkillers rather than have no quality of life.
Keypoint: These risks are associated with the highest doses recommended by doctors and twice as much as what people would take normally.
The Daily Mail, June 2, 2006
Technorati Tags: vioxx, nsaids, ibuprofen, diclofenac, drugs, heart attacks, heart disease, heart, disease, health, cardiovascular disease, cvd
