Just because a pill doesn’t need a prescription, it doesn’t mean it’s harmless. One recent study has shown that taking even the smallest amounts of ibuprofen and other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can have a negative effect on your heart’s health. Some of the NSAIDs include pills such as: Naproxen, Advil, Motrin, Asprilin etc.
A team of researchers from Finland, Germany and Montreal, lead by Michele Bally collected the data from previous studies to find out how NSAIDs affect the cardiovascular health. The researchers already knew that these drugs can increase the risk of heart attack, but weren’t sure what kind of dose had the effect.
Michele’s team found that all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can increase the risk of heart attack. The team recommends to doctors to be careful when giving patients these drugs because of the risk of heart attack.
Other Negative Health Effects of Taking NSAID drugs
NSAID drugs have been often associated with gastrointestinal problems. The drug usage has many side effects such as: bloating, gas, stomach pain, heartburn, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, problems with balance, difficulty concentrating, mild headaches and feeling lightheaded.
If you suffer from liver disease, diabetes, asthma, kidney disease, or you’re pregnant, don’t take non-prescribed painkillers without consulting your doctor.
Is it safe to take Aspirin every day?
One doctor from Harvard Health explains that an Aspirin can help you stop an impending heart attack. He explains that if a person notices a sign of a heart attack, that person should chew a non-coated Aspirin to prevent blood cloth formation in the heart and then seek medical attention.
On the other hand, taking an Aspirin on a daily basis isn’t very good for you. One study even showed that people who took one Aspirin per day had a slightly increased mortality rate.
“The small benefit on heart disease was outweighed by overall increases in other diseases and suggests that in healthy older people without heart disease there is no benefit to low-dose aspirin,” explains professor Stephen Evans from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.