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Popular medication could increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, study says
Popular medication including ibuprofen and naproxen could increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, a study shows. Scientists looked into the economic effect of harm associated with high risk prescribing of the particular drugs.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most widely prescribed groups of medicines worldwide, and research shows that they can sometimes cause patients harm and affect their health.
Popular medication can have serious side effects
Research published in The BMJ delved into previous research on prescribing safety in England. It estimated the economic effect of harm associated with high risk prescribing of the oral medication.
The main types of NSAIDs include ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, celecoxib, mefenamic acid, etoricoxib, indomethacin, aspirin for pain relief (although low-dose aspirin is not normally considered to be an NSAID), as stated on the NHS website.
NSAIDs medicines are widely used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and bring down a high temperature. They can ease pain like headaches and sprains to arthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders. The medication can come in various forms like tablets, capsules, creams, gels, and injections.
While NSAIDs are safe for many, they can cause serious side effects including stomach ulcers and dizziness, and in rare cases, more severe issues like kidney or liver problems, heart attacks, and strokes.
Despite the risks potentially causing patients harm, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, myocardial infarction, stroke, and renal damage, NSAIDs are known to be one of the most widely prescribed groups of medicines worldwide, although prescribing rates are reducing.
Study shows common pain relief affects high risk groups
The study focused on five groups particularly vulnerable to NSAIDs’ side effects – including individuals on blood thinners, those battling heart failure or chronic kidney disease, people with a history of peptic ulcers, and those over age 65 not taking gastroprotection meds to reduce gastric acid secretion.
The BMJ study concluded that NSAIDs continue to be a source of “avoidable harm” and healthcare cost in five high risk populations, especially in inducing an acute event in people with chronic condition and people taking oral anticoagulants.
Findings of the study add that problematic NSAID prescribing in high risk groups is prevalent, with 107 000 people older than 65 years being prescribed NSAIDs without gastroprotection each year.
Results also added that NSAIDS can cause most harm when prescribed in people who are also taking oral anticoagulants. Cleveland Clinic explains that anticoagulants (blood thinners) are a group of medications that decrease your blood’s ability to clot.
The research suggests that the NHS, England’s publicly funded healthcare system, could be spending a staggering �31 million over ten years due to complications arising from NSAIDs being prescribed to those at risk.
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