Ibuprofen, Other Painkillers Linked To Increases Heart Attack Risk

The likelihood of experiencing a heart attack was calculated to increase by an average of 20% to 50%, compared with someone not taking the drugs, regardless of the dosage and amount of time the medications are taken.

The drugs which are available over the counter or by prescription for higher doses, to relieve pain or fever resulting from a range of causes, including flu, headaches, back pain and menstrual cramps. Their range of uses also means they are often taken as needed, for short periods of time.

The latest research, published in the British Medical Journal, suggests it is wrong for people to assume the over-the-counter and frequently prescribed painkillers are harmless and safe.

Scientists from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre based their findings on drug prescribing or dispensing data from 446,763 people in Britain, Canada and Finland 61,460 of whom had a heart attack.

The observational study found taking any dose for one week, one month or more than a month was associated with an increased risk.

Previous studies pointed to an increased risk of heart attack with particular NSAIDs, like rofecoxib, but the latest research suggests for all common NSAIDs the risk of heart attack starts as early as the first one to seven days of use.

The study also showed that use of NSAIDs in the first month at a high daily dose [celecoxib 200 mg], diclofenac [100 mg], ibuprofen [1,200 mg] and naproxen [750 mg] was associated with the greatest risk.