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When you’ve got a headache or back soreness, what do you do? If you’re like many Americans, you probably reach for a bottle of ibuprofen (trade name Advil).

It can seem like a real elixir, taking away any trace of pain in a flash.

But is it really safe?

Don’t let the over-the-counter status of ibuprofen fool you. There are some real serious risks associated with even casual use of the drug.

Of those risks, one of the most concerning is the potential for heart damage.

Even The FDA Is Warning You

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Icatnews / Shutterstock.com

Back in 2005, the FDA issued a warning about ibuprofen, saying it significantly increases one’s risk of heart attack or stroke. Well just last year, they made the decision to strengthen this warning.

The FDA rarely does this. But after an extensive review of the drug, they issued they following statements:

  • Even with short term use, one’s heart attack and stroke risk increase significantly.
  • This risk increases the longer one continues to use ibuprofen.
  • You do not need to have an existing heart condition to be at risk, although such a condition does increase your chances.

These risks make ibuprofen especially dangerous to individuals over 40 – the age at which one’s risk of heart disease begins to skyrocket.

Keep in mind that the FDA approves of some pretty terrible medications, but even they are raising a red flag when it comes to this over the counter drug.

Don’t Be Misled

The major problem with over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen – or acetaminophen, for that matter – is that people generally assume they pose no major risk.

A prescription is seen as an indicator of seriousness. In its absence, most people just shrug and pop pills whenever they even think they need to.

Hopefully the information I shared in this post changes your mind in that regard.

Don’t worry – I’m not just going to leave you hanging without at least one alternative option for pain relief.

Enter Turmeric

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Turmeric is a plant related to the ginger family. It naturally blocks inflammatory cytokines and enzymes. And that’s key – because while drugs like ibuprofen simply work to reduce inflammation, turmeric prevents it. For some conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, it works much better than pharmaceuticals.

Read more about the pain-relieving properties of turmeric here!

If you’re ready to make the switch from ibuprofen to a healthier option, head on over here!

Check out this video from David to learn more about pain relief!

Sources:
Dr. Mercola
Arthritis.org
Heart.org
FDA
Statista

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9 Responses

  1. GYPSY

    As a hiker/distance walker, Ibuprofen is the best for pain relief. And my own pain med specialist has me taking it to boost the effectiveness of other pain killers that I have to take for cancer pain. I’m 60. I’ll stay with it.

  2. Steve Fish

    Your link says and I quote “Taking an NSAID for a headache, or for a few days to ease a sore shoulder isn’t likely to cause a heart attack or stroke.”

  4. Craig Beuker

    Sorry, Turmeric doesn’t help. It might help with very mild pain, but most of us are not reaching for NSAID’s for mild pain. At least its never helped my aches, pains and fevers. When was the last time they came out with a OTC med to help aches and pains? They really need to do more research into a new safe OTC for every day use.

  5. Deborah DeStefano Hyatt

    My near death experience wasn’t a stroke or heart attack, they never even explained to me what happened. I have serious advanced arthritis now and I take a naproxin and a half of a Norco only when I am in agonizing pain

  7. ggadi

    The
    Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European
    Medicines Agency (EMA) is warning of a small increased risk of
    cardiovascular events in patients who take HIGH DOSES of the
    anti-inflammatory ibuprofen, for PROLONGED periods of time.

    The
    committee, which began its review in 2014, states there is a SMALL
    increase in the risk of MI and stroke with ibuprofen when taken at doses
    of 2400 mg/day or higher, for prolonged periods of time.

    This
    risk, according to the committee, is similar to the risk observed with
    all other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as COX-2
    inhibitors and Diclofenac.

    In 2013, as reported by
    heartwire , researchers published data showing diclofenac, a drug used
    for pain and inflammation, increased the risk of cardiovascular events
    between 38% and 63% in different studies. THAT IS LESS THAN ONE EXTRA
    EVENT VERSUS PLACEBO.

    The EMA reached similar
    conclusions in 2012, concluding there was a consistent but SMALL
    increase in the risk of cardiovascular side effects with diclofenac
    compared with other NSAIDs.

    The committee is
    recommending physicians assess patients’ risk factors for cardiovascular
    conditions before starting them on LONG-TERM, HIGH-DOSE ibuprofen.

    Overall,
    PRAC says the benefits of high-dose ibuprofen outweigh the SMALL
    increased risk of cardiovascular events, but physicians should use
    caution when prescribing and avoid high-dose ibuprofen in select high
    risk patients.

    “High doses of ibuprofen (2400 mg per
    day or higher), for prolonged periods of time, should be avoided in
    patients with serious underlying heart or circulatory conditions, such
    as heart failure, heart disease, and circulatory problems or in those
    who have previously had a heart attack or stroke,” according to PRAC.

    With
    lower dosing ie. 1200 mg of ibuprofen, the most commonly used
    over-the-counter dose of ibuprofen in the European Union, there is NO
    signal of harm, according to PRAC.

    The
    recommendations of the committee also extend to dexibuprofen, which is
    similar to ibuprofen. A high-dose of dexibuprofen is 1200 mg/day or
    more.

    The recommendations of PRAC will now be sent
    to the Coordination Group for Mutual Recognition for Decentralized
    Procedures—Human (CMDh). The CMDh reviews the recommendations of PRAC
    and will adopt a final position.

    In the USA the FDA states :
    It
    cannot be excluded that non-selective NSAIDs may be associated with a
    SMALL increase in the absolute risk for thrombotic events especially
    when used at HIGH-DOSES for LONG-TERM treatment.

    The
    overall BENEFIT-RISK balance for non-selective NSAIDs remains FAVORABLE
    when used in accordance with the product information, namely on the
    basis of the overall safety profile of the respective non-selective
    NSAID, and taking into account the patient’s individual risk factors
    (e.g. gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal).

    Clinical
    trials of several COX-2 selective and non-selective NSAIDs at HIGH-DOSE
    and of up to three years LONG-DURATION have shown an increased risk of
    serious cardiovascular (CV) thrombotic events, myocardial infarction,
    and stroke, which can be fatal. BUT, THAT IS LESS THAN ONE EXTRA EVENT
    VERSUS PLACEBO.

    All NSAIDs, both COX-2 selective and non-selective, may have a similar risk.

    Patients with known CV disease, or risk factors for CV
    disease, and those already using Aspirin, are at greater risk.

    NO
    increase in risk of serious cardiovascular (CV) thrombotic events,
    myocardial infarction, and stroke, was seen among people who took
    MODERATE doses of NSAIDS for LESS THAN a years duration.

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