If You Want a Second Heart Attack, Take an NSAID
A new study shows men who had a heart attack and were taking one or more non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) had a 40% higher risk of a second, deadly heart attack.1
In a similar study—conducted by researchers in Denmark and involving nearly 100,000 people—the use of NSAIDs after a heart attack increased the risk of dying from heart disease by 42%. The worst drug: Voltaren (diclofenac), which doubled the risk.2 As we reported earlier, a large study in the British Medical Journal showed that overall NSAIDs more than doubled increased heart attack and stroke risk. Over 30,000 US deaths a year could be prevented by simply substituting safe alternatives for these deadly medications.
References
1"NSAIDs were associated with increased risk for mortality, regardless of time since first MI." Belknap SM. Ann Intern Med. 2013 Jan 15;158(2).
2"Cause-Specific Cardiovascular Risk Associated with Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs among Myocardial Infarction Patients — A Nationwide Study." Schjerning Olsen AM, et al. PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e54309. Epub 2013 Jan 30.
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the world's leading integrative medical authorities on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. He is the lead author of eight research studies on their effective treatments, and has published numerous health & wellness books, including the bestseller on fibromyalgia From Fatigued to Fantastic! and The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. Dr. Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted fibromyalgia experts in the world and appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and Fox News Health.
