Health & Wellness for a LIFETIME
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Pomona, NY 10970
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Archive:
- 2012
- January (11)
- PFC Lowers Antibodies!
- People Don't Stop Smoking After Seing Plaque in Carotids!
- Pharmaceutical Companies and Physicians
- Importance of Vitamin D
- Statin Drugs and Diabetes
- Heart Attacks and Long Distance Running
- Wasted Research Money?
- Nicotine Patch Ineffective
- So How Much Exercise Can You Squeeze In?
- Neti-Pot Problems
- AHA Study: Heart Disease Increasing
- 2011
- December (11)
- Cranberries vs. Antibiotics for UTI
- Antioxidants Reduce Cancer Risk
- Back Surgery: Too Many, Too Costly, Too Ineffective!
- Simvastin (Zocor, Vytorin, Simcor) Danger
- Physicians Rate Insurance Companies
- Anti-coagulant Drug Problems
- Bad News about Stop Smoking Drug
- Antibiotics: Inappropriately Used
- Exercise More Important Than BMI
- Pediatric Antibiotis: Over Prescribed?
- FDA Criticized Dr. Oz But Was It Fair?
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Risk for atrial fibrillation was especially elevated among new users of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors.
Use of nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors has been associated with elevated risk for chronic atrial fibrillation (Arch Intern Med 2010; 170:1450). In this population-based case-control study from Denmark, investigators assessed risk for atrial fibrillation (AF) or flutter associated with these drugs.
After adjustments for multiple variables including AF risk factors, NSAID or COX-2 inhibitor use was associated with significantly elevated risk for AF . Results were similar for individual NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors such as Celebrex and Vioxx.
Comment:In this study, NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors were associated with elevated risk for AF, especially among new users. As an editorialist noted, these findings have important public health implications because these drugs are used widely and because AF prevalence increases with age. Although the results could be influenced by confounding (e.g., the investigators lacked body-mass index data; obesity is strongly associated with arthritis — a common indication for these drugs — and a risk factor for AF), the findings are plausible: These drugs can exacerbate hypertension and heart failure and, therefore, might precipitate AF or flutter. Be very careful when taking these types of pain meds.