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Over-the-counter painkillers significantly increase heart attack risk

Wednesday 10th May 2017
Patients who take commonly-prescribed painkillers may be at greater risk of a heart attack, new research suggests. Image: gemphotography via iStock
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Over-the-counter painkillers could increase a person's risk of a heart attack by as much as 100 per cent, new research has found.

A study published in the British Medical Journal that has drawn on data relating to 446,763 patients from the UK, Finland and Canada found that taking commonly-prescribed drugs that can be obtained from a local pharmacist could dramatically increase a person's heart attack risk.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nsaids), such as ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib and diclofenac, were found to raise some patients' risk of a heart attack by up to 100 per cent, with the greatest risk applying in the first 30 days of them taking the over-the-counter drugs, particularly when on a high dosage.

The new study drew on previous work that had already linked common painkillers to increased heart attack risk, but this time the factors behind this were taken into account as well.

Kevin McConway, a statistics professor at the Open University, explained: "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."

For example, dosages should be taken into account, as well as other factors such as whether a patient smokes, their weight and other health conditions that could impact the medication's effects.

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, stated: "Whether you are being prescribed painkillers like ibuprofen or buying them over the counter, people must be made aware of the risk and alternative medication should be considered where appropriate."

There is also a chance that the inflammatory or painful condition that the drugs are being prescribed for in the first place could worsen and cause the heart attack, so painkillers cannot be solely blamed.

Instead, anyone with pre-existing heart health concerns should be advised by a pharmacist on the types of medication that are safe for them to take, with a cardiologist monitoring them throughout the course of treatment to ensure their heart attack risk is kept to a minimum.

Written by Mathew Horton

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