Popping Painkillers? Think Again

When doctors express wariness about over-the-counter pills, take them seriously. Especially when it comes to painkillers or what are technically known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These have been known to be unsafe for people suffering from health problems such as high blood pressure and kidney disease. Doctors have also known for sometime that NSAIDs can interact dangerously with other medications such as those taken to control blood pressure.

So why are we talking about this again? Two recently published studies have, in fact, reiterated the possibilities of increased risk of heart failure and cardiac arrest in users of painkillers. The authors of this article believe these latest findings must be taken more seriously and governments ought to ensure that painkillers are no longer available over the counter and instead must be prescription-based.

Written for the layman reader, the article clearly outlines specific risks caused by the painkillers in case of both heart failure and cardiac arrest after a brief explanation of how they actually work. Painkillers basically 'inhibit' enzymes that are involved in the production of prostaglandins, a hormone-like substance, that increases inflammation and pain perception. But the very same prostaglandins also protects the stomach lining from acid. Which is why frequent users of painkillers may also suffer from ulcers. The author delineates a series of findings, all of which essentially validate his argument.

But it is important to note here (as the authors say) that this is not to create any 'panic' of sorts. For people with no heart risk factors, such painkillers carry minimal heart-related risk and are safe to be taken in small doses for a short period of time. But considering the high proliferation of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes in today's world, it certainly would be wiser to think twice before popping that pill.