Common OTC Pain Medications Increase Risk of Stroke/Heart Attack

People may want to think twice about taking ibuprofen for a mild headache. According to a new study, ibuprofen and other over-the-counter pain relievers increase a person’s risk of developing heart disease. The drugs linked to this increased risk are known as NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Doctors often recommend or prescribe this type of medicine for those suffering from arthritis and general aches and pains.

The study was conducted by Danish researchers over a nine year period. The researchers evaluated medical records of more than one million people in Denmark from 1997 through 2005. The average age of the people investigated was 39. Their findings revealed that high doses of ibuprofen often sold as Advil or Motrin, increases a person’s risk of fatal or nonfatal stroke by 29 percent. However, low doses actually lowered a person’s risk. Taking more than two pills three times a day is considered high dosage. The prescription medicine Diclofenac increased a person’s risk of developing some type of cardiovascular disease by 91 percent. Naproxen, which is often marketed under the name Alleve did not show any increased risk but actually appeared to lower the risk of heart disease.

The American Heart Association and the FDA issued a warning back in 2007 about the link between NSAIDs and heart disease. Doctors are asked to exhaust other medication options before prescribing an NSAID to patients who are at risk of heart disease already. The latest study has been published in the  June 8th edition of the AMA journal, Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.