Common pain relievers may increase the risk of heart attacks, especially for people with high blood pressure and heart disease. More than 22,000 volunteers from 14 different countries participated in a study that lasted over two years. Patients who used medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen were more likely to suffer heart attacks, strokes and death. This isn't the first time non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been linked to cardiovascular complications. The authors conclude that, in patients with heart disease, "chronic use of NSAIDs should be avoided where possible...Until further data are available, alternative modes of pain relief should be considered for these patients."[American Journal of Medicine, July, 2011]
