Ibuprofen: What are the risks of consuming it?
updated the 14 July 2015 à 18:30According to the European Medicines Agency, consuming more than 2400mg of ibuprofen a day increases slightly the risk of cardiovascular disease.
After paracetamol and domperidone (Motilium), it’s the turn of ibuprofen to be the object of a health warning. The Committee of Pharmacovigilance of the European Medicines Agency has published an opinion that points towards the increase of the cardiovascular risks connected with the consumption of high doses of this non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug bought generally in the form of Advil or Nurofen.
IS IT THE SAME PROBLEMS FOR IBUPROFEN AND VOLTARENE?
After reviewing data available on the side effects of ibuprofen, the specialists of the Committee of Pharmacovigilance detected a slight increase in the risk of infarct and cerebrovascular incidents in people who consume it in high doses, meaning from 2400mg a day (the recommended daily maximum). Dangers similar to those of diclofenac (Voltarene), another anti-inflammatory drug in the same family, whose use is restricted in patients considered at risk. Thus, the European Medicines Agency recommends, unsurprisingly, to avoid consuming 2400mg or more ibuprofen in the case of history of cardiac problems as an attack or a CVA, but also when we suffer from a heart disease or a circulatory disorder. In general, it is strongly misadvised to exceed the recommended dose, even if no particular health problems are present.
THE TREE THAT HIDES THE FOREST
If this precision is necessary, it reflects only a part of the problem connected to the consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Indeed, we have known for a long time that this widely-consumed medicine has a negative impact on cardiovascular health. According to a meta-analysis of 2011*, ALL non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increase the risk of mortality, all causes considered. And the most dangerous is… ibuprofen! If the authors of this study recognise that other searches are necessary to confirm these data, think twice before consuming these painkillers, even in “reasonable” doses.
* Cardiovascular safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs : network meta-analysis, British Medical Journal
Maureen Diament
