Health

Taking Ibuprofen or Naproxin Daily Raises Your Heart Attack Risk

Published

8 years ago

May 11, 2017

Bchcomber

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Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used over-the-counter drugs to relieve pain or reduce fever, but new research suggests people who take them routinely could face a higher risk of a heart attack.

The study, published in The BMJ, found that all commonly used NSAIDs – ibuprofen and naproxen, which are available over the counter; and diclofenac and celecoxib, which require prescriptions in the U.S. – were associated with this increased risk.

While the absolute risk of having a heart attack after taking this medication is very small, experts say consumers should exercise caution when deciding whether or not to take NSAIDs, particularly people who are already at risk for heart trouble.

“I think this study is another cautionary tale to be very careful before using these drugs and not be lulled into a place of complacency just because they’re over the counter,” Deepak Bhatt, M.D., executive director of interventional cardiovascular program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, told CBS News. “If someone has to use an NSAID for pain relief, the best advice is to use the lowest possible dose and for shortest amount of time possible.”

Previous research has linked the use of NSAIDs to an increased risk of heart attack, but the timing of the risk, the effect of dose, treatment duration, and the comparative risks between different NSAIDs were poorly understood.

For the study, an international team of researchers led by Michèle Bally of the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center, who was then an epidemiology doctoral student at McGill University in Canada, carried out a systematic review and a meta-analysis of studies from health care databases in Canada, Finland and the United Kingdom.

Collectively, they analyzed data on 446,763 people, of whom 61,460 had a heart attack.

The results showed that heightened risk of heart attack occurred as early as in the first week of taking an NSAID, and the risk was greater with higher doses of NSAID.

The greatest risk of heart attack was seen with NSAID use at a high daily dose in the first month. High daily doses include:

Celecoxib (Celebrex) > 200 mg
Diclofenac (Voltaren, Cambia, Solaraze) > 100 mg
Ibuprofen (Advil) >1200 mg
Naproxen (Midol, Aleve, Naprelan) > 750 mg

Overall, the results showed a 20 to 50 percent increase in risk of a heart attack when using NSAIDs compared with not using these medications.

However, Bally emphasizes that the absolute risk is very small and will vary based on patient’s baseline risk.

“These numbers do not mean that a person has a 20 to 50 percent risk of having a heart attack after taking those drugs,” she told CBS News.

Rather, the findings mean that as a result of this increase, the risk of heart attack due to NSAIDs is on average about 1 percent annually, she said.

Bhatt, who was not involved in the study, offers some more perspective.

“Someone who is young and healthy and takes an NSAID for a sprained ankle, the risk of heart attack is already very low so it raises the risk from very low to very low,” he said. “On the flip side, an 80-year-old who has high blood pressure, who’s had bypass surgery, for that patient, the risk could be substantial.”

The study also looked at long-term use of NSAIDs and found that the heightened risk did not seem to continue to increase even further when people took them for longer than one month. However, Bally said this should be interpreted with caution since the authors did not study repeat heart attacks; she advised it’s still best to use NSAIDs for the shortest time possible.

The study was observational and cannot prove that taking NSAIDs actually causes a heart attack. The researchers note another limitation of the study is that not all the factors that could potentially influence risk could be taken into account.

The research doesn’t explain underlying reasons for the link, but experts have some theories.

“Other studies show that NSAIDs can raise blood pressure and lead to fluid retention,” Bhatt said. “These sorts of things can help precipitate a heart attack, particularly in people who are already vulnerable to it.”

Previous research has also shown these medications may put people at risk for blood clots.

Experts say the study is not meant to scare people away from using NSAIDs, but rather to be more mindful when using them.

“If someone needs to treat occasional pain, fever, or inflammation they should consider all available treatment alternatives and get the help of the health care providers,” Bally said.

She notes that people taking these drugs for chronic pain may want to consider whether the benefit of increasing the dose for better relief outweighs a possible increased risk of heart attack. They could talk to their doctors about other avenues of treatment such as physical therapy or local injections.

“The bottom line is, don’t treat these drugs like candy just because they’re sold over the counter,” Bhatt said. “Treat them like any medications. Only use them if you really need to, lowest dose possible, for least amount of time.”

Health

Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

Published

2 months ago

October 7, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

Health

New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

Published

2 months ago

October 6, 2024

VORNews

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Health

Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

Published

2 months ago

October 5, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP