Think OTC Pain Meds Are Safe? Think Again...

There's mounting evidence that regular use of OTC pain killers is risky for older people, says a recently conducted study. And, I apologize for the C & P folks, but there's really nothing more I can add to this. I just thought this info too important not to share...

Dangers of Common Painkillers

The findings, published in July in the American Journal of Medicine, suggest that doctors should weigh the dangers of these medications carefully, says Anthony Bavry, M.D., the cardiologist who led the study. He recommends acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) to his patients, because it may have a much lower risk of heart complications than other NSAIDs. "Many patients change after they understand the risk from these agents," he says.

These studies mainly looked at older patients with signs of heart disease, but the risk extends to older people generally, says Antman, who is also an editor at Circulation. People often start taking these medications seeking pain relief for a temporary problem. "The patient feels better and they make the assumption that they need to continue taking this medication," Antman said. "It's a very important cycle to interrupt."

 

 

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