FDA Strengthens Heart Safety Warnings on Painkillers
Source: NBC
The Food and Drug Administration is strengthening its warnings about painkillers like ibuprofen, saying they do raise the risk of heart attack or stroke.
People should think carefully about taking these drugs, both over-the-counter versions and prescription pills, the FDA says. It's asking manufacturers to change the labels.
"They used to say they might cause risk of heart attack or stroke. Now we are saying they do cause increased risk of heart attack and stroke," FDA spokesman Eric Pahon told NBC News.
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"FDA is strengthening an existing warning in prescription drug labels and over-the-counter (OTC) Drug Facts labels to indicate that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke, either of which can lead to death," the agency said in a statement.
"Those serious side effects can occur as early as the first few weeks of using an NSAID, and the risk might rise the longer people take NSAIDs. (Although aspirin is also an NSAID, this revised warning doesn't apply to aspirin.)"
Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/heart-health/fda-strengthens-heart-safety-warnings-painkillers-n389516
TM99
(8,352 posts)Can't take acetaminophen as it is bad for the liver.
Can't take NSAIDS as they lead to stroke and heart attacks as well as ulcers.
Can't take aspirin due to high GERD and chances of an ulcer.
Hell, what is left to take?!
NutmegYankee
(16,201 posts)Sure, use of NSAIDs could result in my death one day from a heart attack, but I would rather live a shorter life without constant pain than a long life in pain.
TM99
(8,352 posts)What's that old Joe Jackson song? Cancer will give you cancer.
Seems these days we take our risks with all medications.
REP
(21,691 posts)NSAIDs don't just cause strokes and heart attacks; they're also extremely nephrotoxic (toxic to the kidneys). If they're only taken for 3 days or less at the lowest dose once a month or less, there's much less risk but many people don't take them that way. Untreated high blood pressure, a leading cause of stroke, is also one of the leading causes of kidney failure, so those patients taking daily NSAIDs are at the highest risk.
Coventina
(27,215 posts)Since I don't drink it would be ideal for me, except it doesn't stop any pain. None.
Turin_C3PO
(14,087 posts)I have to take Ibuprofen. I have severe sinus pain that Tylenol doesn't even touch. I have addiction problems so opioid medications are out, though, of course, those in some ways are the safest for non-addicts. I take 800mg morning and night and yes it does raise my blood pressure (by about ten points) but I don't know what to do for pain otherwise? I've had sinus surgery, do the sinus-rinse, nothing stops the severe pressure. I do have my kidney and liver levels checked regularly (every 6 months) so fingers crossed those organs stay healthy.
Do you have any suggestions for me as far as pain relief that I maybe haven't thought of? (This is a serious question).
REP
(21,691 posts)And yes I'm serious. I thought I was having severe sinus pain for years ... it was really severe chronic migraine. I felt silly until the neurologist told me that mistaking migraine for sinus headache was pretty common.
I take Topomax, an anti seizure drug, daily to prevent 90% of my migraines.
Coventina
(27,215 posts)Even really weak ones like Tramadol.
It's getting to be a more and more painful world for those of us with chronic conditions....
REP
(21,691 posts)I have advanced kidney disease. I can safely take only true opioids ... but there are days I'm nearly willing to risk taking an Aleve. Well, I actually did a year or so ago; damn near drowned from the pulmonary edema.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)CTyankee
(63,912 posts)shanti
(21,675 posts)kind of a tossup between cancer and heart attack though, as they both run in my family. the last four relatives who've died had different types of cancer.