Patient alert: are your painkillers killing you?

New warnings are going to be put on the packaging of common painkillers such as ibuprofen after experts ruled that their use has been linked to an increased risk of stroke and heart attack.

By Michael Dorausch, D.C.
planetc1.com staff writer

New warnings are going to be put on the packaging of common painkillers such as ibuprofen after experts ruled that their use has been linked to an increased risk of stroke and heart attack.

Millions take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the pain related to conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While there has long been a concern about the side effects of these medicines, there is a growing amount of evidence that shows a link to taking NSAIDs and suffering heart attacks and/or strokes.

The Commission on Human Medicines, regulators of healthcare in the UK, have cautioned all doctors in writing that daily high doses of these common pain pills could increase one’s risk of heart attack and stroke.

The commission has asked drug manufacturers to update the information that they put on their products so as to highlight the increased risks.

NSAID medications that were reviewed included: ketoprofen, ketorolac, diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, nabumetone, nimesulide, piroxicam, etodolac, ibuprofen and naproxen.

Two years ago, the arthritis pain killer drug Vioxx, a COX-2 inhibitor, was pulled off the market after researchers discovered it also increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

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