April 5 : Ibuprofen, a common painkiller, may increase the susceptibility to cardiovascular problems in those patients with osteoarthritis, who are already at a higher risk of suffering from heart trouble, according to a study.

The researchers compared the cardiovascular health of more than 18,000 patients of osteorathritis, aged over 50, for one year.

The participants had been taking either high dose of lumiracoxib, a type of drug known as a cyclo-oxygenase (COX-2) inhibitor, or ibuprofen, or naproxen. One in 10 patients were considered to be at high risk of a heart attack or stroke, some of whom also took low dose aspirin.

It was observed that participants at low risk of cardiovascular disease did not show any difference in the total number of heart attacks and strokes, while those at high risk did.

The researchers noted that high risk patients who had been taking aspirin and ibuprofen were around nine times as likely to have heart attacks and strokes over one year as those on lumiracoxib. Those patients were also found to be at a higher risk as compared to their naproxen taking counterparts.

According to the study, participants taking ibuprofen also developed congestive heart failure more often than those on the COX inhibitor.

The authors of the study say that their findings suggest that ibuprofen interferes with the blood thinning properties of aspirin in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

The research has been published ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. (ANI)