Some Painkillers May Increase Heart Attack Risk in Older Women
Some painkillers may increase heart attack risk in older women. The category of drugs are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and include those that contain over-the-counter naproxen (Aleve).
Earlier studies have shown that NSAIDs that target and inhibit the cox–2 enzyme may up heart attack risk; researchers have now found out that NSAIDs that don’t target this enzyme also increase the risk. In fact, they were linked to a 17% increase in heart attack and stroke risk in menopausal women, compared to a 13% increase in NASAIDS that specifically target the cox-2 enzyme. Naproxen was associated with a 22% increase in risk of death, heart attack or stroke.
The findings have “huge ramifications,” according to researchers, as these drugs are widely used around the world. The study was published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. More….
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