NSAID consumption associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction

A team of researchers from Canada, Finland, and Germany has found that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack. The research team conducted a systematic review to characterize the determinants, time course, and risks of acute myocardial infarction associated with the use of oral NSAIDs.

• Evidence suggests that both traditional and cyclooxygenase-2 selective NSAIDs can increase the risk of acute myocardial infarction.
• However, there is not much information on the effect of dose, treatment duration, and the comparative risks between NSAIDs.
• The research team acquired a cohort of 446,763 individuals including 61,460 with acute myocardial infarction.
• They found that taking any dose of NSAIDs for one week, one month or more than a month was associated with an increased risk of heart attack.
• The probability of increased risk of a heart attack associated with the use of NSAIDs like diclofenac, naproxen, and rofecoxib is 99 percent.
• Taking ibuprofen and celecoxib for one to seven days has a probability of increased heart attack risk of 97 percent and 92 percent, respectively.
• The research team also found that a higher dose of NSAIDs is associated with a greater risk of heart attack.
• In addition, they found that heart attack risk was the highest during the first month of NSAID use and with higher doses.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that all NSAIDs are associated with an increased risk of heart attack, and the risk increases with higher doses.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

To read more studies on the harmful side effects of pharmaceutical drugs like NSAIDs, visit DangerousMedicine.com.

Journal Reference: 

Bally M, Dendukuri N, Rich B, Nadeau L, Helin-Salmivaara A, Garbe E, Brophy JM. RISK OF ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION WITH NSAIDS IN REAL WORLD USE: BAYESIAN META-ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL PATIENT DATA. BMJ. 09 May 2017; 357. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.j1909