A study has shown that patients who take ibuprofen and other pain killers are likely to have 20 per cent more chance of a heart failure. Research suggest that long-term use of the medication causes chemical reactions in the body which place extra strain on the heart. This can lead to heart failure in patients who have a history of previous heart attacks or high blood pressure. An estimated 900,000 adults in Britain have heart failure which occurs when the muscle becomes too weak to pump blood around the body.
It causes extreme tiredness, breathlessness and swelling of the legs and is a long-term condition that can’t be cured. The risk doubles for those who took Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) daily for a year or more. The pills are commonly taken by the elderly for long-term conditions such as arthritis and other muscular pain.
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said: “Since heart and joint problems often co-exist, particularly in the elderly, this study serves as a reminder to doctors to consider carefully how they prescribe NSAIDs. And to patients, that they should only take the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time. They should discuss their treatment with their GP if they have any concerns. 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.”
Dr Tim Chico, an expert in cardiovascular medicine at the University of Sheffield, also said the risk was low for patients who only took NSAIDs occasionally and had no previous risk of heart attacks. In July the American Heart Association urged doctors to check patients were not taking ibuprofen or similar painkillers for long periods of time over concerns of their links to heart failure.
Helen Williams, consultant pharmacist for cardiovascular disease at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said the most commonly used drugs posed the lowest risk.
