Routinely taking common painkillers, including ibuprofen, could put
people at a heightened risk of heart attack, new research has found.
Experts have drawn a link between taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs), which are used to treat pain and inflammation, and an increased
risk of heart attacks.
Doctors should consider the “risks and benefits” before dishing out the
commonly prescribed drugs, particularly at higher doses, the authors cautioned.
Researchers from Canada, Finland and Germany conducted an analysis of
previous studies, which held data on almost 450,000 people - 61,460 of whom had
suffered a heart attack.
They found that taking any dose
of NSAIDs, including ibuprofen and naproxen, for one week, one month, or more
than a month was associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction
(heart attack), according to the study published in The BMJ (British MedicalJournal).
