More Evidence Linking NSAIDs to Heart Failure Hospitalization

Edited by Susan Sadoughi, MD

Individual nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with increased risk for heart failure hospitalization, according to a large study in The BMJ.

Using electronic health databases from four European countries, researchers identified 7.7 million adults who started taking prescription NSAIDs in 2000–2010. The 92,000 patients who were admitted for heart failure were matched to controls without heart failure admissions.

Current use of any NSAID was associated with a 19% higher risk for heart failure hospitalization. The following individual, FDA-approved NSAIDs carried higher heart failure risk: ketorolac (odds ratio, 1.83), indomethacin (1.51), piroxicam (1.27), diclofenac (1.19), ibuprofen (1.18), and naproxen (1.16). The results were significant in patients regardless of their history of heart failure. Higher doses were associated with greater risk.

Editorialists conclude: “A more restricted policy by regulatory authorities on the availability of NSAIDs and requirements for healthcare professionals providing advice on their use and potential harm is warranted.”