Common painkillers used by millions of people in the UK are linked to an increased risk of heart failure, experts have said.
Non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen could increase the risk of being admitted to hospital with the heart problem, a study found.
Previous studies have linked the drugs to abnormal heart rhythm - which can cause heart failure - and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke if taken regularly.
Read more: Haunted ruins on banks of Scots loch go on sale for £100,000
The drugs - together with a sub-group of anti-inflammatories known as selective COX-2 inhibitors - are used to control pain and inflammation and are commonly taken by people with arthritis.
The new study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), used data for almost 10 million NSAIDs users from the UK, Netherlands, Italy and Germany, who started NSAID treatment between 2000 and 2010.
Overall, 92,163 hospital admissions for heart failure were identified among the group.
The study found that people who had taken any NSAID in the previous 14 days had a 19% increased risk of hospital admission for heart failure compared with people who had used NSAIDs at any point in the past.
The risk of admission for heart failure increased for seven traditional NSAIDs (diclofenac, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketorolac, naproxen, nimesulide, and piroxicam) and two COX 2 inhibitors (etoricoxib and rofecoxib).
The increased risk of hospital admission ranged from 16% for naproxen to 83% for ketorolac.
Read more: Haunted ruins on banks of Scots loch go on sale for £100,000
Researchers also found that the risk of heart failure doubled for diclofenac, etoricoxib, indomethacin, piroxicam, and rofecoxib used at very high doses, although they stressed this should be interpreted with caution.
Even medium doses of indomethacin and etoricoxib were associated with increased risk, the study said, but there was no evidence that celecoxib increased the risk of admission for heart failure at commonly-used doses.
The experts said their study "offers further evidence that the most frequently used individual traditional NSAIDs and selective COX 2 inhibitors are associated with an increased risk of hospital admission for heart failure. Moreover, the risk seems to vary between drugs and according to the dose."
In an accompanying editorial, two Danish health researchers said that owing to the widespread use of NSAIDs, "even a small increase in cardiovascular risk is a concern for public health".
They said the fact they can be bought over the counter in supermarkets "further fuels the common misconception that NSAIDs are harmless drugs that are safe for everyone".
Read more: Haunted ruins on banks of Scots loch go on sale for £100,000
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This large observational study reinforces previous research showing that some NSAIDs, a group of drugs commonly taken by patients with joint problems, increase the risk of developing heart failure.
"It has been known for some years now that such drugs need to be used with caution in patients with, or at high risk of, heart disease. This applies mostly to those who take them on a daily basis rather than only occasionally.
"Since heart and joint problems often co-exist, particularly in the elderly, this study serves as a reminder to doctors to consider carefully how they prescribe NSAIDs, and to patients that they should only take the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time. They should discuss their treatment with their GP if they have any concerns."
ends
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here