Painkiller raises stroke and heart attack risks by 50%

THE painkiller diclofenac is linked to an increased risk of a heart attack, warns a new study.

The prescription-only drug is used to treat pain-related conditions including arthritis, migraine, sprains and backache.

The study, which involved nearly 1.4 million patients, found that the drug raised the risk of heart attack, irregular heartbeat, and stroke by 50 per cent after 30 days of beginning use compared with people not on the drug, reports the BMJ. The researchers called for diclofenac to be prescribed only as a last resort when other treatments had failed.