Can Common Painkillers Like Ibuprofen Raise The Risk Of Heart Problems?

New research reveals that people who take high doses of common painkillers, known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are at a much greater risk of developing heart problems, according to Health magazine. The new study was published in the online journal The Lancent.

Six-hundred and fifty randomized trials of people taking either 2,400 milligrams (mg) of ibuprofen or 150 mg of diclofenac daily were reviewed, and findings showed that those who did increased the risks of heart attacks, strokes and death by about one-third. 

"While NSAIDs increase vascular and gastrointestinal risks to a varying extent, our analyses indicate that the effects of different regimens in particular patients can be predicted, which may help physicians choosing between alternative NSAID regimens to weigh up which type of NSAID is safest in different patients," study author Colin Baigent, from the Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit at the University of Oxford, in England, said in a journal news release. 

The study authors said that despite these findings, a patient's risk of heart attacks from individual NSAIDs is proportional to a patient's underlying risk for heart attacks, Health reports. The authors concluded that doctors should weigh the pros and cons of risk factors for people with a history of heart attacks and heart disease before prescribing a high-dose NSAID.

"Considering NSAIDs are some of the most commonly used medications and their increased risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure and death is significant, this meta-analysis may help doctors in guiding patients [about] which NSAID - and at what dose - might be the safest for them," Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said to Health.

"Through this analysis, the size of the risk could be predicted for each patient, and better advice could be given," she said. "Because NSAIDs sometimes are a crucial part of one's quality of life, the more we understand about dosing, duration and risk becomes important so we [can] determine which is the best choice, - especially for patients with heart disease or those who are at risk."

The latest review examined more than 350,000 patients and their outcomes, and researchers found that for every 1,000 patients with a moderate risk of heart disease, three would have an avoidable heart attack after taking high doses of NSAIDs for a year, and one of which would be fatal. In addition, NSAIDs double a person's risk for heart failure, and people on high doses of such medication have a two to four times greater risk of developing significant upper gastrointestinal problems.

"The meta-analysis offers considerable certainty about...major vascular risks of high doses of the most commonly prescribed NSAIDs, but leaves large gaps about risks associated with lower NSAID doses, longer durations of use and residual effects after stopping treatment," said Dr. Marie Griffin, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in commentary published in The Lancet.