The painkiller Ibuprofen will not raise the chances of a heart attack if it were used only for a short duration. This has been revealed by Madrid based researchers who studied the use of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in 4,975 patients who had had heart attacks, and 20,000 healthy individuals.
They found that taking NSAIDs for less than a year does not increase the risk of a heart attack. However, prolonged use can increase the risk of non-fatal heart attack by 20%. The researchers analyzed the heart attack risk associated with three of the most commonly used NSAIDs. Their results show that individual NSAIDs have different cardiovascular effects.Taking Ibuprofen for over a year does not increase the risk of a heart attack, while long-term Diclofenac use causes a small increase in the risk of having an attack.
Long-term use of Naproxen can also have a protective effect according to the study.
(IANS)
Medindia on Ibuprofen:
Ibuprofen relieves the pain, inflammation, swelling, and stiffness caused by certain types of arthritis and other medical problems. It also is used to reduce fever and to relieve headaches, muscle aches, menstrual pain, aches and pains from the common cold, backache, and pain after surgery or dental work.
