Posted on 06/01/2006 6:35:06 PM PDT by blam
Ibuprofen can double risk of heart attack, says medical study
By Celia Hall, Medical Editor
(Filed: 02/06/2006)
Common painkillers such as ibuprofen can double the risk of suffering a heart attack, a study has found.
Research published in the British Medical Journal analysed results of 138 trials involving 140,000 patients over several years. It found that ibuprofen and diclofenac, two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), could cause attacks when taken in high doses.
Vioxx: Banned in 2004
The drugs have been previously noted for increasing heart attack risk but experts say that this is the biggest and most definitive study of its kind.
Vioxx, which is part of a group of anti-inflammatories known as COX-2 inhibitors, was banned in 2004 after it was shown that patients on the drug were more than twice as likely to have heart attacks as those not taking it.
The latest study showed that, as expected, COX-2 inhibitors doubled the risk of an attack but so did NSAIDs.
When all "vascular events" - heart attacks, stroke, or vascular disease - were taken together, the risks increased by 40 per cent on the drugs.
Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Rome carried out the study. They examined the results of all trials in which vascular events had been recorded for COX-2 inhibitors and NSAIDs. By combining the results, they were able to estimate the effects of these drugs more reliably than any individual trial.
They found that there were three more heart attacks per 1,000 people every year in those who did not already have heart disease but who were taking COX-2 inhibitors or NSAIDs.
Colin Baigent, who directed the research for the Medical Research Council, said that people should not panic at the findings - which relate to the highest doses recommended by doctors. "The rate is three heart attacks in every 1,000 patients treated for a year," he said. "For a person who is unable to move unless they take these drugs, they may be willing to accept that risk if [the drug] is giving them back their life."
Prof Peter Weissberg, of the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study adds to the mounting body of evidence that taking high doses of NSAIDs increases the chances of having a heart attack. However, the increased risk is small and many patients with chronic debilitating pain may well feel that this small risk is worth taking to relieve their symptoms."
The International Ibuprofen Foundation said: ''The occasional and short-term use of ibuprofen for minor pain conditions, i.e. the way the majority of consumers use over-the-counter ibuprofen products, is not shown to be a risk factor."
(((PING)))
OK, so don't take them in high doses.
Take two aspirin instead.
One might suspect that those taking these at high dose levels already have some fairly severe health issues.
I'm curious how they define 'high doses.' I didn't see it specified in the article.
I guess I better stop taking double the recommended dose of Advil (for a broken ankle) until I get the results of yesterday's Nuclear Stress Test, eh?
I only took one VIOXX a day.
I eat 8 or more Ibuprofen to take it's place.
The VIOXX worked much, much better.
At least let me die with less pain.
Well, isn't that special. I practically live on those things. I didn't want to take narcotics all the time because of that danger, so now the alternative is going to kill me. LOL So, what are we supposed to do for the pain?
They found that there were three more heart attacks per 1,000 people every year in those who did not already have heart disease but who were taking COX-2 inhibitors or NSAIDs.
Without ibuprophen many people would have no quality of life, so what's a .3 percent increase in yearly risk to someone with pain? I don't think this will deter many ibuprophen takers.
When you read the side effects on any drug, OTC or Rx, there are always risks.
Isn't it funny that they don't mention what a "high dose" is. So, I will assume that they mean taking over 400 capsules in a 24 hour period and therefore I will continue to use ibuprofen.
Without ibuprofen I'd have ceased being functional four or five years ago. I'll take my chances.
Funded by the makers of Tylenol?
(That's a joke people, a joke. lol)
Seriously, what IS a high dose? 10? 16? with beer? wine? tell me! I take them all day long. Figure my liver or kidneys will give out first. Heart attack will only finish things off.
Vioxx worked great. Then Factor Five forced me into giving it up. Now I'm stuck with Celebrex and Lyrica.
Someday they're going to come up with the perfect painkiller (besides death) that doesn't make your rational thoughts sprout purple mushrooms. Then the drug addicts will figure out some new use for it and get it banned.
There are days I feel seriously screwed.
Our results indicated that high dose ibuprofen (800 mg three times daily) and high dose diclofenac (75 mg twice daily) were each associated with an increased risk of vascular events ...That's twice the maximum warning on the label ("Do not excced 6 tablets [200 mg each] in one day") or equal to 12 maximum strength tablets a day.
The sky is falling.
Have no fear, in a couple of years a different bunch of "researchers" will state that Ibuprofen prevents heart attacks.
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