Non-Aspirin Painkillers Riskier Than Believed

Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) pose a greater risk to heart health than had been believed. That’s the word from the FDA, which, according to the New York Times, will soon ask drug manufacturers to change the labels to reflect new evidence that the drugs increased the risk of heart attack and stroke soon after patients first started taking them. The Times quotes Dr. Peter Wilson, a professor of medicine and public health at Emory University in Atlanta, and a member of an expert panel convened by the F.D.A, saying that over-the-counter medications, which have the lowest doses, probably increased risk of heart attach and stroke by about 10 percent, while low-dose prescription medications were likely to increase the risk by about 20 percent and higher-level dose prescription medications by about 50 percent. Wait there’s more: Wilson warned that people over 65 with a history of heart disease should be especially careful.