How Commonly-Used Medications Can Lead To Heart Disease

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are commonly used in lieu of steroids. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or NSAIDs, have been discussed a-lot in the past. They are prescribed to patients who have joint pain. Even though these medications are effective for alleviating pain, they can actually destroy the cartilage in your joints. However, that may be the least of your worries if you take these medications.

You have probably already heard that Vioxx, Celebrex and other prescription NSAIDs can cause heart disease. However, Nuprin, Motrin and Advil and other over-the-counter pain medications can cause also heart disease and angina.

There was a study done on California that involved 651,000 subjects who had arthritis. The study followed the participants for four years. The researchers found that NSAIDs drugs can increase the risk of heart disease by at least 12 percent. Indomethacin, which is the strongest of the medications, can increase the risk of heart disease by up to 71 percent.

The higher the dosage, the higher your risk of developing heart disease will be. For example, if you take a 150 mg dosage of Voltaren every day, then you increase your risk of developing heart disease by nearly 40 percent. There have been other studies done to examine the link between NSAIDS and heart disease risk, but this study is the largest one.

Furthermore, there was another study performed that followed 9.218 people who had a heart attack. The results of the study showed that Rocecoxib increased the risk of heart attack by 32 percent. Motrin increased the risk of heart attacked by 24 percent.

You may be wondering, “Why does NSAIDS increase the risk of heart disease?” These medications work by interfering with the metabolism of prostaglandins. Some of the prostaglandins in the body cause inflammation and pain while others provide lubrication for the blood vessels. There is supposed to be a natural balance of prostaglandins in the body. This balance is thrown off when you take medications. The unbalancing of biochemistry is one of the many problems that can result from taking any type of medication.

There are a number of alternatives to NSAIDS. If you choose to take painkillers, then you should take narcotics because they are considered the safest. Additionally, the natural chemicals found in essential fats, ginger and garlic can be very effective for relieving pain and inflammation.

Reference: Family Practice News, July 15, 2005; Brit Med J, 2005, 330