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Common pain medicine used with aspirin increases heart attack risk

Individuals who take aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke, combined with common anti-inflammatory medications like Celebrex, may be at increased risk for the occurrence of a cardiovascular event. The new findings provide a warning to patients taking aspirin who also take anti-inflammatory medicines, known as COX2 inhibitors, coxibs, or NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) medications, that are commonly used for pain.

The findings, published in the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), show that people who use aspirin and the popular pain medications, frequently used to treat arthritis and pain from acute injury, are reducing the effectiveness of aspirin, putting their health at risk from the potential for blood clots.

Medications such as Celebrex are widely prescribed for arthritis sufferers. Physicians often prescribe aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke in higher risk patients because anti-inflammatory medications can actually cause the blood to clot.

Approximately 50 million people in the US take aspirin every day to prevent heart attack. The researchers, from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev say taking aspirin with pain coxibs… “simultaneously are exposed to a greater risk of cardiovascular events.”

The findings are an important note for anyone taking aspirin and in need of pain control for arthritis or injury, or currently using anti-inflammatory medicines to control pain. The common medication is available over the counter. All medicines should be discussed first with your physician. It is important also to know your risk for heart disease and stroke before taking any medications that could interact or cause harm.

The new findings show that patients taking anti-inflammatory drugs known as coxibs, NSAIDS, or COX2 inhibitors, which include medications such as celecoxib, rofecoxib, and valdecoxib, in combination with aspirin, are risking heart attack or stroke from increased chances of clots that can block blood flow to the heart and brain.

doi:10.1073/pnas.0909765106

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