Taking painkillers could increase risk of having heart attack

Routinely taking common painkillers could put people at a heightened risk of heart attack, new research has found.

Experts have drawn a link between taking non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are used to treat pain and inflammation, and an increased risk of heart attacks.

Doctors should consider the “risks and benefits” before dishing out the commonly prescribed drugs, particularly at higher doses, the authors cautioned.

Researchers conducted an analysis of previous studies, which held data on almost 450,000 people – 61,460 of whom had suffered a heart attack.

They found that taking any dose of NSAIDs, including ibuprofen and naproxen, for one week, one month, or more than a month was associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack), according to the study published in the BMJ.

They said there was “a rapid onset of risk” for heart attack within the first week of use, while risk was highest during the first month of taking the painkillers.

Using the drugs for longer than one month did not increase risk more than with shorter use, the researchers found.

Risk was higher among users on high doses of the painkillers.

Overall, the increased risk of suffering a heart attack was between 24% and 58% if taking celecoxib, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen and rofecoxib, compared with not using these medications.

While the authors stressed that conclusions should not be drawn about cause and effect, they wrote: “Compared with non-use of NSAIDs in the preceding year, we documented that current use of all studied NSAIDs, including naproxen, was associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction.”

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This large-scale study worryingly highlights just how quickly you become at risk of having a heart attack after starting NSAIDs.”