Med News Today

High does of ibuprofen may increase heart risks

High doses of some common pain relievers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, may increase one's risk of stroke or heart attack as much as COX 2 inhibitors, a new study shows.

This news comes a few months after the U.S. withdrawal of two commonly-prescribed pain relievers, Vioxx and Bextra, because of studies that showed these drugs, called COX 2 inhibitors, can increase by up to five times a person's risk of heart attack and stroke when taken in high doses.

Many people were initially given COX 2 inhibitors as a pain reliever because they may be gentler to the stomach then NSAIDs, which are linked to serious gastrointestinal side effects, such as ulcers. But many patients switched back to NSAIDs because of the increased cardiac risk. This change may have been made in vain.

posted by nattietodd @ 11:48 AM