NSAIDs study questioned
April 14, 2014
A STUDY reporting a possible link
between current or recent use of
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs) and a heightened
risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) has
been called into question.
University of Oxford Nuffield
Department of Anaesthetics
director of pain research Professor
Andrew Moore said that it was a
“disgrace” that the study had been
published by the British Medical
Journal Open.
The population study monitored
the heart health of 8,423 people in
the Rotterdam Study and found 857
developed AF, 42 of whom were
currently taking NSAIDS and 554
who used them in the past.
The report said current use was
associated with a 76% greater risk
of AF than never use and recent
use was linked to an 84% greater
risk of AF.
Moore said the number of current
use patients was very small, with
eight using NSAIDs for more than
30 days, and statistical significance
would not have been achieved.
He said in research, a minimum of
200 events was needed before “you
can trust what’s going on.”
Moore referenced a study of
more than 83,000 Australian
veterans which looked at the
association between NSAIDs and
incident myocardial infarction (MI)
and heart failure (HF).
Published in 2010 in the British
Journal of Clinical Pharmacology,
it found that NSAID use was not
associated with an increased risk
in either, but was associated with a
reduction in all-cause mortality in
the veterans.
Australian Self Medication
Industry regulatory and scientific
affairs director Steve Scarff said
the study did not demonstrate
AF increase in patients currently
using NSAIDs for fewer than 15
days, a duration much longer than
recommended.
“While the study suggests an
association between prescription
NSAIDs and increased risk of atrial
fibrillation, it does not demonstrate
that the NSAIDs caused the atrial
fibrillation.”
He said older people might have
multiple conditions that could
contribute to AF development.
To read the BMJ study, CLICK
HERE.
To read the BJCP study, CLICK
HERE.
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