[Warning] Popular Painkiller Causing Heart Problems?

I get it.

When you’re in pain, all you want is a little relief.

It can be so easy (too easy) to pop an over-the-counter pain pill that will have you feeling better in a matter of minutes.

But the fact that such painkillers have become household names—and the fact that you can easily get them from any supermarket or convenience store — makes people assume they’re perfectly safe.

They’re not.

Case in point: A recent study showed that one of the most popular painkillers has been found to dramatically increase your risk of stroke and heart failure.

Studies on the dangers of ibuprofen are like a bad penny: they keep popping up.

For example, just a few months ago, I told you about a study showing that using these drugs for as little as one week increases your risk of a heart attack by as much as 58%.

Now, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology has added another nail in this painkiller’s coffin:

NSAIDs like ibuprofen increase the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, also known as atrial fibrillation (AF).

When your heart stops beating in proper rhythm, the most immediate things you might notice include heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and weakness.

Atrial fibrillation isn’t life-threatening in and of itself, but it DOES increase the risk of stroke and heart failure.

One of the main reasons is because it can contribute to blood clots that can ultimately block blood flow.

Blocked blood flow to the brain = stroke.

Blocked flow to the heart = heart attack.

For this recent study, researchers studied more than 57,000 people over 45 years old. They compared those with atrial fibrillation to those without it, looking to see if NSAID use increase the risk of AF.

Here’s what they found:

• People who used selective NSAIDs (Celebrex and Mobic) had no increased risk of AF.

• Those who used non-selective NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen) had an 18% increased risk of AF.

• But those who used BOTH had a 30% increased risk of having atrial fibrillation.

Unfortunately, most people think this is NSAIDs are their only option for pain relief. But there are better alternatives that can provide relief without the risks.

Here are just a few I recommend to my patients:

• Studies show that krill oil is about as effective as NSAIDS for arthritis pain.

• A recent study showed that one gram of curcumin extract is as effective as ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief.

• Topical NSAIDs work well, and they have fewer systemic effects than their oral counterparts.

To a brighter day,

Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D.