Use of NSAIDs Increases the Risk for Heart Patients
According to an article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine on January 26 “non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are harmful to heart-failure patients.” After the publication of this article patients consuming NSAID drugs received a warning letter highlighting the side effects of NSAIDs. According to this report, patients using NSAIDs are exposed to heart failure and dose related death.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration defines NSAIDs as drugs used “to treat pain and redness, swelling, and heart (inflammation) from medical conditions such as different types of arthritis, menstrual cramps and other types of short-term pains.” Recently NSAIDs have been linked to cause stroke, heart failure and heart attack. The patients who are subjected to these side effects are those who:
- Used NSAIDs drug for a long time
- Patients who underwent a coronary artery bypass graft.
- Patients suffering from heart problem.
Causes of Heart Failure
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, a part of he U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are many other reasons for heart failure among Americans other than the consumption of NSAIDs. Other causes of heart failure are given below:
- Heart muscle diseases
- Cocaine and other illegal drugs
- High blood pressure
- Alcohol abuse
- Arrhythmias, also irregular heartbeats
- Treatments for radiation, cancer and chemotherapy
- Excessive use of vitamin -E
- Diabetes
- Congenital heart defects
- Heart valve disorders
- HIV/AIDS
- Thyroid disorders
- Coronary artery disease
Uses of NSAIDs
Due to increasing popularity of NSAIDs, many people are using it either regularly or on weekly basis for the following reasons:
- Metastatic bone pain
- Acute gout
- Renal colic
- Headache and migraine
- Osteoarthritis
- Tissue injury pain
- Post-operative pain
- Menstrual pain
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Reiter’s syndrome
- Fever
According to the Medicine net, an online medical site for healthcare professionals, serious side effects of various NSAIDs are ignored which cannot only increase the chances of heart attack but also cause following side effects:
- Vision changes
- Drowsiness
- Easy bruising and bleeding
- Diarrhea
- Unusual fatigue
- Ringing in ears
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Constipation
- Persistent sore throat
- Nausea
- Swelling of feet or ankles
- Stomach pain
- Muscle pain and weakness
- Fever
- Heartburn
Medicine net suggests that the following side effects should be reported to the doctor immediately as they may lead to serious conditions:
- Swelling
- Persistent abdominal and stomach pain
- Changes in urine color
- Dizziness
- Rashes
- Yellowing of skin or eyes
- Vomiting appearing coffee color
- Black stools
- Itching
- Difficulty in Breathing
Dangers Associated with Prescription Drugs
Several NSAIDs drugs including Celebrex are easily available in the market. These drugs are associated with severe side effects.
Pfizer introduced Celebrex to the market in 1998 as anti – inflammatory drug. It belongs to the group of COX -2 NSAIDs and is largely used by people suffering from arthritis pain. In 2004, Food and Drug Administration came to know about the various side effects of using Celebrex. Since than the drug has been under the scrutiny of FDA. FDA asked Pfizer, to increase the warning on all Celebrex labels.
In 2005, another NSAID, Baxter, was removed from the market. It was also manufactured by Pfizer. Baxter was associated with the onset of cardiac arrest, stroke and Steven’s Johnson Syndrome (SJS). SJS has many side effects including onset of skin rashes and blindness.