Have you been taking motrin, advil or ibuprofen? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently updated its warning about non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, which are used mainly as pain relievers. One of the long-recognized potential effects of NSAIDs is gastrointestinal bleeding—which may, in some cases, become life-threatening. The updated warning, however, focuses on separate, but possibly even more sinister potential outcomes from taking these products: heart attacks and strokes. According to the FDA, risk for heart attack or stroke can occur within weeks of using an NSAID, with the possibility for increased risk with longer use and higher doses. It is not yet known for certain whether different types of NSAIDs carry different levels of risk (for example, naproxen versus ibuprofen). As stated by the FDA, current scientific evidence “is not sufficient for us to determine that the risk of any particular NSAID is definitely higher or lower than that of any other particular NSAID.” Patients with other risk factors for heart disease and stroke may be at greater risk for these complications from NSAIDs, but NSAID use elevates risk even in individuals with no predisposing issues. 

Another somewhat alarming finding by the FDA is that “Patients treated with NSAIDs following a first heart attack were more likely to die in the first year after the heart attack compared to patients who were not treated with NSAIDs after their first heart attack.” This is particularly disturbing because heart attack patients are often encouraged to take low-dose aspirin daily in an effort to prevent future coronary events. Additionally, the FDA notes an association between NSAID use and increased risk for heart failure. Clearly, this advice may be doing more harm than good. It is highly likely that, despite package inserts and warning labels, consumers are unaware that, as the Cleveland Clinic advises, NSAIDs should not be taken for more than three days in a row for fever, or ten days for pain without being monitored by a physician. Call 947-1177 for appt today for alternative options for relieving pain and inflammation.