The commonly used painkiller diclofenac is associated with an increased risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke
Indiscriminate use of painkillers can cause heart attack or stroke.
An observational study in The BMJ reported that the commonly used painkiller diclofenac is associated with an increased risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. Use of paracetamol or other traditional painkillers was associated with a lower risk.
Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for treating pain and inflammation. It is widely used across the world.
Data from 6.3 million adults from the national registry in Denmark with at least one year of continuous prescription records between 1996 to 2016 were included in the study. Participants were split into low, moderate, and high baseline cardiovascular risk. Average age was 46-49 years among participants starting NSAIDs and 56 years among those starting paracetamol.
“Considering its cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks, however, there is little justification to initiate diclofenac treatment before other traditional NSAIDs”
Diclofenac was associated with an increased rate of major adverse cardiovascular events within 30 days compared with starting other traditional NSAIDs (ibuprofen or naproxen) or starting paracetamol. Events included irregular heart beat or flutter, ischaemic stroke, heart failure, and heart attack.
Starting diclofenac was also associated with an increased rate of cardiac death , and an increased risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The commonly used painkiller diclofenac is associated with an increased risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. Among patients at low baseline risk, diclofenac starters had one additional event when compared to ibuprofen and naproxen starters, three additional events in comparison to paracetamol starters, and four additional events in comparison to people who used no NSAIDs at all.
“Treatment of pain and inflammation with NSAIDs may be worthwhile for some patients to improve quality of life despite potential side effects,” authors wrote “Considering its cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks, however, there is little justification to initiate diclofenac treatment before other traditional NSAIDs,” added the researchers.
