Commonly used pain killers, including ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac, are associated with an increased risk of heart failure, say researchers at the University of Milano-Bicocca.
In a study of 10 million elderly users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs), the researchers found that taking the drugs increased the risk of being admitted to hospital with heart failure by 19% (compared with non users).
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, told the BBC: “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.
Other experts have urged some caution over the Italian study’s findings, pointing out that it looked exclusively at older age groups (with a average of 77). Stephen Evans, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of said that the study was “of very little relevance to most people below the age 65 taking painkillers”.
