Painkillers are medicines that many people take to help reduce pain, whether it’s from an injury, surgery, or a long-term health problem. They are often seen as a quick and easy way to feel better. But recent research has found that some of these common drugs may cause serious health problems if not used carefully.
One group of painkillers, called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, is used often to treat pain and swelling. Examples of these include ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac. A study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham looked at how these drugs affect people with heart problems.
In their research, they gave the NSAID called carprofen to animals with heart disease. They found that even when used alone, this drug caused mild but ongoing swelling (inflammation) in both the heart and kidneys. When the animals also had a heart attack, the damage became worse. This suggests that NSAIDs may not be safe for people who already have heart conditions.
Another study from Denmark looked more closely at diclofenac, a strong NSAID that is sometimes used for pain relief. Researchers studied the health records of over 6 million people. They found that people who started taking diclofenac had a higher chance of having heart attacks and strokes within just 30 days.
This risk was higher than the risk from taking other NSAIDs like ibuprofen or even from using paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen). People taking diclofenac also had more cases of irregular heartbeat and heart failure. The study shows that this drug may carry more risk than other painkillers, especially for people who already have heart problems.
Painkillers can also affect other parts of the body. A study from Newcastle University in the UK looked at how some commonly used painkillers might be linked to weight gain and poor sleep. Researchers used data from over 133,000 people in the UK Biobank. They found that certain drugs like gabapentin, pregabalin, and opiates could double the risk of obesity.
These drugs were also connected to bad sleep. One possible reason is that these drugs can make people feel sleepy or tired, which lowers how much they move during the day. Some of the drugs may also change how food tastes, which can cause people to crave more sweet foods.
Even though painkillers can help people manage pain, these studies show that they are not without risks. They may cause serious problems for the heart, kidneys, and overall health. People with long-term health issues should be especially careful.
Doctors and patients need to talk about the risks and look at other ways to manage pain, like physical therapy, exercise, or lifestyle changes. If painkillers are needed, they should be used for the shortest time possible and under close watch from a healthcare provider.
If you care about pain, please read studies about vitamin K deficiency linked to hip fractures in old people, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that Krill oil could improve muscle health in older people, and eating yogurt linked to lower frailty in older people.
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