The research, published in the Heart Online First 2006, is based on data
from the General Practice Research Database, which holds the anonymous
medical records of millions of patients registered with family doctors
across the UK. The patients were identified and monitored between
January 1st 1997 and December 31st 2000.
The overall risk is considered small, but the researchers say it may
have a considerable impact on public health, particularly among the
elderly in whom heart failure is common. Fourteen percent of patients
were taking NSAIDs at the time of their admission compared with 10% of
the comparison group of randomly selected people. Half of those admitted
to hospital were men, and half were aged between 70 and 79.
The NSAID, indomethacin, seemed to be associated with the highest risk.
These patients were three times more likely to be admitted to the
hospital for heart failure as those taking not taking the drug. Even
though the extra risk is only on hospital admission in every 1000, it
could be higher for patients over the age of 70 with other conditions
including diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney failure.
According to the Wise Geek website,
NSAIDs are Non-Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that include aspirin,
ibuprofen, and naproxin, among many others. Acetaminophen, commonly
known by the brand name Tylenol, is sometimes considered an NSAID, but
actually has very little anti-inflammatory benefit. NSAIDs are used to
treat pain, fever, and inflammation, and are generally considered to be
fairly safe and well tolerated by most patients.
According to Bill Pearse with McNeil
Consumer Health Care, Tylenol is acetaminophen and not a NSAID.
Dan Wilson
Best Syndication
Books on Heart Disease
Keywords and misspellings: nasid staroidal vioxx
asprin tilenol hart falure
