Author Topic: NSAIDs and heart attack (Read 956 times)

Maizar · « **on:** June 28, 2013, 09:49:01 PM »

Does Aspirin cause heart attacks?

A recent study in the Lancet links heart attack risk with the use of many anti-inflammatory drugs: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)60900-9/abstract

Quote

- Major vascular events were increased by about a third by a coxib .. chiefly due to an increase in major coronary events
- Ibuprofen also significantly increased major coronary events

The above applies for nearly all prescription antiinflammatory drugs which are taken for pain relief. Aspirin is not routinely used for pain relief anymore but is given in low doses to prevent strokes (weak evidence) and heart attacks (strong evidence).

However articles such as this: http://rinf.com/alt-news/breaking-news/aspirin-and-ibuprofen-proven-to-cause-heart-attacks/46242/ and others are linking Aspirin use to heart attacks also. The research papers do not actually say this, however.

On the contrary, Aspirin reduces risk of death during heart attack (http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/25/22/2013.full). It is even said to be helpful in healthy people (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/20/us-aspirin-heartattacks-idUSTRE73J7KG20110420).

There is a lot of "nature news" type rubbish being published over recent years which distorts and deliberately misinterprets research. They are just as bad as the pharmaceutical companies.

StCeciliasGirl · « **Reply #1 on:** June 28, 2013, 11:17:45 PM »

My dad (heart attack prone) has been given the huge 325mg aspirins (2 of them) during a "cardiac event", en route to a hospital; and you're right that it's RXed in low dose for people with heart issues. I'd guess this is another "got to publish something" study, because there is probably a tenuous link between stomach perforation (ulcers) caused by long-term regular use of NSAIDS, and the resulting ulcer pain causing increased blood pressure.

I've had ulcers from ibuprofin "abuse" — apparently taking a few a day, a few times per week, is "abuse", so if I stub my toe they give me opiates

(Nevermind that the opiates have an acetaminophen base, which causes liver damage if used long-term. So I just buffer my stomach with Tums and pop the aspirins or Motrins if I get a headache.)

Frances · « **Reply #2 on:** June 29, 2013, 01:46:44 AM »

Taking aspirin to prevent heart attack has also been linked (no definite cause) to macular degeneration. My Mom has taken a daily baby aspirin for over 15 years on advice of her GP. She also has macular degeneration in both eyes. Usually m.d. runs in families, but no one else had or has it. She is also the only one to take aspirin.

Maizar · « **Reply #3 on:** June 29, 2013, 02:52:42 AM »

Quote from: Frances

Taking aspirin to prevent heart attack has also been linked (no definite cause) to macular degeneration. My Mom has taken a daily baby aspirin for over 15 years on advice of her GP. She also has macular degeneration in both eyes. Usually m.d. runs in families, but no one else had or has it. She is also the only one to take aspirin.

Fish oil is probably as good as aspirin actually, plus garlic maybe. I don't think they cause macular degeneration. But I also haven't seen any research to support this.

Ursus · « **Reply #4 on:** August 02, 2013, 12:33:43 PM »

If you suspect a heart attack, it's best to CHEW two regular aspirin (uncoated, non time release) and get help.

A daily aspirin isn't a bad idea unless you can't tolerate it.

All the other NSAIDs are hit and miss for most people when it comes to pain. There is a time and place for the stronger prescription drugs. So just because some junkies abuse them there's no reason to shrug them off.