Older types of arthritis medicine could be dangerous for the heart, says study
In a study carried out by Dr Morten Schmidt, and his team at the Aarhus University in Denmark, has shown that the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) arthritis medicines appears to be particularly dangerous for heart patients, and that older types of arthritis medicine, also appear to be dangerous for the heart.
“It’s been well-known for a number of years that newer types of NSAIDs – what are known as COX-2 inhibitors, increase the risk of heart attacks. For this reason, a number of these newer types of NSAIDs have been taken off the market again. We can now see that some of the older NSAID types, particularly diclofenac, are also associated with an increased risk of heart attack and apparently to the same extent as several of the types that were taken off the market,” says Dr Schmidt.
He went on to say, “This is worrying, because these older types of medicine are frequently used throughout the western world and in many countries available without prescription.”
The study, which was carried out in collaboration between 12 European universities and hospitals, including a number of leading European heart specialists, was published in European Heart Journal.
The study team gathered all research on the use of NSAIDs in patients with heart disease. This survey means that the European Society of Cardiology has now for the first time formulated a number of recommendations about what doctors should consider before prescribing painkillers to their patients.
“When doctors issue prescriptions for NSAIDs, they must in each individual case carry out a thorough assessment of the risk of heart complications and bleeding. NSAIDs should only be sold over the counter when it comes with an adequate warning about the associated cardiovascular risks. In general, NSAIDs are not be used in patients who have or are at high-risk of cardiovascular diseases,” says another of the authors, Professor in cardiology Christian Torp-Pedersen, Aalborg University, Denmark.
For a number of years, Danish researchers have made significant contributions in the field. One result of this work has been a reduction in the use of diclofenac in Denmark. However, according to Dr Schmidt, there is still room for improvement.
“Many European countries consume more of these drugs than Denmark. But we can still do better and it’s often the case that paracetamol, physiotherapy, mild opioids or other types of NSAIDs with less risk for the heart would be better for the patients. Of course, the recommendations that have been introduced following our study and its review of the heart-related risks are a big step in the right direction in relation to patient safety,” he says.
Arthritis Research UK says that although there are risks of side-effects, the benefits of drug treatments generally outweigh the risks.
If you do have concerns about heart disease, you should consult your GP.
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