Painkillers are a killer for heart attack survivors

Common painkillers such as ibuprofen increase the risk of dying or having a second heart attack among heart attack survivors. This study in journal Circulation confirms previous research which found the painkillers are linked to a raised risk of heart attacks or stroke when taken in high doses for a long periods of time. The drugs included ibuprofen, sold over the counter in the UK with the brand name Nurofen, naproxen and Celebrex. Among those receiving an NSAID, risk of death from any cause was 59 per cent higher one year after their heart attack, and 63 per cent higher after five years. The risk of having another heart attack or dying from coronary artery disease was 30 per cent higher one year later and 41 per cent higher after five years.

Bonnie: Doesn't acupuncture look better for chronic pain? It is crucial to get the message out to clinicians taking care of patients with cardiovascular disease that NSAIDs are harmful, even several years after a heart attack.