Newly discovered heart attack and stroke triggers

How do painkillers affect the risk of heart attacks and strokes??

The use of painkillers can lead to various health problems. Researchers have now discovered that an over-the-counter painkiller can increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 50 percent.

Researchers at the Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark found in their current research that taking over-the-counter painkillers can significantly increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "British Medical Journal" (BMJ).

Study had more than 6.3 million subjects

The large-scale study of more than 6.3 million adults found that the analgesic diclofenac, which is sold in America as Volatren and Solaraze, in addition to the risks mentioned above, puts patients at higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding compared to other analgesics.

What is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for?

Diclofenac is a so-called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which is used to relieve fever or toothache in adults or severe joint pain in children. Emerging heart problems already led in 2015 to the fact that the British regulatory authority no longer let the drug sell freely. Now the authors of the study are calling for global action to protect patients.

Dicofenac should not be freely available

It is time to acknowledge the potential health risk of diclofenac and reduce its use, say researchers at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark. Dicofenac should not be freely available over the counter. When Dicofenac is prescribed, it should have a warning label on the packaging indicating potential risks, the researchers say.

How was the study structured??

For the study, the team analyzed national data from over 6.3 million Danish adults. All of these patients had been on prescription medications for at least one year prior to the trial in January 1996. The mean age of participants taking NSAIDs was between 46 and 49 years, and the mean age of patients taking the analgesic acetaminophen was 56 years. To analyze the data, the researchers divided the patients into groups, depending on their risk of suffering from heart disease. There was one group with a low risk, a medium risk and a high risk group.

Effects of ingestion after 30 days

The scientists found that diclofenac was associated with an increased rate of major heart problems and complications such as arrhythmia, ischemic stroke, heart failure and myocardial infarction compared to ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen within 30 days of initiation of treatment. With each passing year of continued use of diclofenac, the risk increased significantly, compared to taking other painkillers or taking no painkillers at all, say the doctors. Patients who started the low-risk study and then took diclofenac were more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke compared to people taking ibufrofen or naproxen.

Diclofenac may not be the best option

Diclofenac-consuming patients had three more heart attacks or strokes compared to subjects taking paracetamol. Participants who did not take any medication at all resulted in the lowest risk. These subjects had an average of about four heart attacks or strokes less than diclofenac-engaging patients, the researchers explain. The identified increased risk affects men and women of all ages equally. Even patients with low doses had an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, say the experts. Although some patients need NSAIDs to improve their quality of life, diclofenac may not be the best option. (As)