Not all painkillers are equally suitable for people with heart disease. The Heart Foundation recently advised patients that it is better to use an alternative to ibuprofen for pain relief. Because of its side effects on the heart, ibuprofen should only be taken on the recommendation of your doctor.
Why ibuprofen can be dangerous
The question, verbatim: “Because I suffer from chronic back problems, I have been relieving the pain for many years by taking Ibuprofen 800 three times a day plus metamizole. When I complained of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, my cardiologist advised me to stop taking ibuprofen. He gave this advice because I am genetically predisposed to heart attacks, and ibuprofen increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Which medicines can I use as an alternative to relieve pain?” (Judith G., Berlin)
Expert Dr. med. Vinzenz von Kageneck answers: “An alternative to ibuprofen for use as a painkiller in relatively high doses is naproxen.”
This is because, among the so-called NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), including ibuprofen, naproxen has undergone the full range of studies available to date and has the least adverse effect on the heart.
Nevertheless, naproxen should also be used with particular caution. On the one hand, naproxen can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, though not as much as other members of this class; on the other hand, the likelihood of gastrointestinal bleeding with naproxen is greater than with ibuprofen.
Note: a risk of bleeding may exist in many cases, so always consult a doctor before taking painkillers.
Source: Deutsche Herzstiftung
