Byrner
03-19-2008, 01:33 PM
Common painkillers such as ibuprofen can double the risk of suffering a heart attack.
According to new research two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (NSAIDs) ibuprofen and diclofenac, could cause attacks when taken in high doses.
Fears over risk to heartThe drugs have been previously noted for increasing heart attack risk but experts say this is the biggest and most definitive study of its kind.
Vioxx, which is part of a group of anti-inflammatories known as COX-2 inhibitors, was banned in 2004 after it was shown that patients on the drug were more than twice as likely to have heart attacks as those not taking it.
The latest study showed that, as expected, COX-2 inhibitors doubled the risk of an attack but so did NSAIDs.
When all "vascular events" - heart attacks, stroke, or vascular disease - were taken together, the risks increased by 40% on the drugs.
Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Rome carried out the study, which was published in the British Medical Journal.
Dr Colin Baigent, who directed the research for the UK's Medical Research Council, said the study was carried out over several years and involved 140,000 patients.
He said: "It supersedes all the previous work that has been done in this area. Until now, doctors have been very confused.
"We have looked at all the evidence that has ever been done and our report is hopefully going to help doctors assess these drugs."
News Source: Common painkillers such as ibuprofen can double the risk of suffering a heart attack.
According to new research two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (NSAIDs) ibuprofen and diclofenac, could cause attacks when taken in high doses.
Fears over risk to heartThe drugs have been previously noted for increasing heart attack risk but experts say this is the biggest and most definitive study of its kind.
Vioxx, which is part of a group of anti-inflammatories known as COX-2 inhibitors, was banned in 2004 after it was shown that patients on the drug were more than twice as likely to have heart attacks as those not taking it.
The latest study showed that, as expected, COX-2 inhibitors doubled the risk of an attack but so did NSAIDs.
When all "vascular events" - heart attacks, stroke, or vascular disease - were taken together, the risks increased by 40% on the drugs.
Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Rome carried out the study, which was published in the British Medical Journal.
Dr Colin Baigent, who directed the research for the UK's Medical Research Council, said the study was carried out over several years and involved 140,000 patients.
He said: "It supersedes all the previous work that has been done in this area. Until now, doctors have been very confused.
"We have looked at all the evidence that has ever been done and our report is hopefully going to help doctors assess these drugs."
According to new research two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (NSAIDs) ibuprofen and diclofenac, could cause attacks when taken in high doses.
Fears over risk to heartThe drugs have been previously noted for increasing heart attack risk but experts say this is the biggest and most definitive study of its kind.
Vioxx, which is part of a group of anti-inflammatories known as COX-2 inhibitors, was banned in 2004 after it was shown that patients on the drug were more than twice as likely to have heart attacks as those not taking it.
The latest study showed that, as expected, COX-2 inhibitors doubled the risk of an attack but so did NSAIDs.
When all "vascular events" - heart attacks, stroke, or vascular disease - were taken together, the risks increased by 40% on the drugs.
Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Rome carried out the study, which was published in the British Medical Journal.
Dr Colin Baigent, who directed the research for the UK's Medical Research Council, said the study was carried out over several years and involved 140,000 patients.
He said: "It supersedes all the previous work that has been done in this area. Until now, doctors have been very confused.
"We have looked at all the evidence that has ever been done and our report is hopefully going to help doctors assess these drugs."
News Source: Common painkillers such as ibuprofen can double the risk of suffering a heart attack.
According to new research two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (NSAIDs) ibuprofen and diclofenac, could cause attacks when taken in high doses.
Fears over risk to heartThe drugs have been previously noted for increasing heart attack risk but experts say this is the biggest and most definitive study of its kind.
Vioxx, which is part of a group of anti-inflammatories known as COX-2 inhibitors, was banned in 2004 after it was shown that patients on the drug were more than twice as likely to have heart attacks as those not taking it.
The latest study showed that, as expected, COX-2 inhibitors doubled the risk of an attack but so did NSAIDs.
When all "vascular events" - heart attacks, stroke, or vascular disease - were taken together, the risks increased by 40% on the drugs.
Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Rome carried out the study, which was published in the British Medical Journal.
Dr Colin Baigent, who directed the research for the UK's Medical Research Council, said the study was carried out over several years and involved 140,000 patients.
He said: "It supersedes all the previous work that has been done in this area. Until now, doctors have been very confused.
"We have looked at all the evidence that has ever been done and our report is hopefully going to help doctors assess these drugs."