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Taking common painkillers ups elderly`s heart failure risk

Taking commonly-used painkillers called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could increase the risk of heart failure among the elderly by almost a third, according to a new study published in the online edition of the journal Heart Tuesday.

For the study, the researchers from the Spanish Centre for Pharmacoepidemiologic Research in Madrid reviewed the data of 228,660 patients on Jan. 1, 1997 and followed them till the end of 2000.

Of the patients admitted to the hospital, 14 percent were on NSAIDs painkillers at the time of their admission as compared to 10 percent of patients selected randomly. Over 50 percent of those admitted to the hospital belonged to the age group of 70 to 79 years.

Indomethacin (indocin) was associated with the highest risk for heart failure. Patients who took it were three times as likely to be admitted to the hospital than those who did not. Osteoarthritis was the most common condition for which the NSAIDs painkillers were used.

The researchers stressed that based on their survey there would be one extra first hospital admission for heart failure at the rate of one in every 1,000 people taking painkillers.

They admitted that the risk is very small. But this figure could very well increase given the fact that most of the elderly aged 60 to 84 are likely to suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney failure.

"Even a small increase in the risk can translate into a significant disease burden in the general population," the researchers noted, adding heart failure is a common cause of illness and death among the elderly.

They pointed out that their results are compatible with the findings of other published studies indicating that NSAIDs exacerbate heart failure symptoms, leading to hospitalization among susceptible patients, such as those with a history of cardiovascular disease and, in particular, previous heart failure.

Meanwhile, June Davison, medical spokeswoman for the British Heart Foundation, said the study confirmed that the use of NSAIDs may increase symptoms in people who have heart failure.

She said: "Many people who are prescribed this medication suffer debilitating pain from inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. These people may consider the possible slight increase in risk of heart failure symptoms to be acceptable."