Tweet
If you’ve had a heart attack, think twice about popping Ibuprofen for that tooth ache. Ibuprofen and other drugs in its class—called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs—can up the risk of a second heart attack or death in people who have already had one heart attack, even if they’re taken for just a few days, according to a study published Monday in the journal Circulation.
The researchers, led by Anne-Marie Schjerning Olsen, M.B., of Copenhagen University Hospital, came to their conclusion using data from patient records in Denmark. Since Denmark has a socialized medical system, which tracks every doctor and hospital visit and prescription using a unique patient number, they were able to see what happened after nearly half of a population of 83,697 heart attack survivors got prescriptions for NSAIDs, including ibuprofen, diclofenac (Voltaren or Cataflam), and celecoxib (Celebrex).
With the exception of naproxen (Aleve), all the NSAIDs increased the risk of another heart attack or death. Diclofenac seemed to be the most dangerous, nearly tripling the risk after popping the first pill. Ibuprofen carried an increased risk after patients took it for at least a week. Other NSAIDS increased in risk after patients took them for weeks or months.
Olsen suggests that doctors consider other ways to advise their heart attack survivors to relieve pain, such as taking acetaminophen (Tylenol), which isn’t an NSAID, or avoid pain through other means—losing weight, physical therapy, or exercise.
“Doctors should consider alternatives to NSAID therapy based on the individual patient,” she says.
And if you absolutely need that NSAID? Take the ones with the least risk—naproxen or ibuprofen—for the least amount of time
The researchers, led by Anne-Marie Schjerning Olsen, M.B., of Copenhagen University Hospital, came to their conclusion using data from patient records in Denmark. Since Denmark has a socialized medical system, which tracks every doctor and hospital visit and prescription using a unique patient number, they were able to see what happened after nearly half of a population of 83,697 heart attack survivors got prescriptions for NSAIDs, including ibuprofen, diclofenac (Voltaren or Cataflam), and celecoxib (Celebrex).
With the exception of naproxen (Aleve), all the NSAIDs increased the risk of another heart attack or death. Diclofenac seemed to be the most dangerous, nearly tripling the risk after popping the first pill. Ibuprofen carried an increased risk after patients took it for at least a week. Other NSAIDS increased in risk after patients took them for weeks or months.
Olsen suggests that doctors consider other ways to advise their heart attack survivors to relieve pain, such as taking acetaminophen (Tylenol), which isn’t an NSAID, or avoid pain through other means—losing weight, physical therapy, or exercise.
“Doctors should consider alternatives to NSAID therapy based on the individual patient,” she says.
And if you absolutely need that NSAID? Take the ones with the least risk—naproxen or ibuprofen—for the least amount of time
Comment