Many people use painkillers every day to help with everything from sore muscles to long-term pain conditions.
These medicines can make life easier by reducing pain, but new research shows they might not be as safe as we once thought—especially for people with other health problems or those who take them for a long time.
One group of these drugs is called NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These include familiar names like ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac.
While they are easy to find in stores and often used without a prescription, scientists are now raising alarms about their safety.
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham studied an NSAID called carprofen in animals with heart disease. They found that this drug caused mild inflammation in both the heart and kidneys.
When the animals had a heart attack, the inflammation became worse. This suggests that NSAIDs could be risky for people who already have heart issues, possibly making things worse instead of better. These findings were published in the journal Life Sciences.
Another big study came from Denmark, where scientists looked at over 6 million adults. They found that people who started taking diclofenac had a higher risk of serious heart problems—such as heart attacks, strokes, and irregular heartbeats—within just one month.
The risk was higher than for people who took other NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen, and even higher than for people who took paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen). The study, published in The BMJ, suggested that diclofenac might be especially dangerous for people with any kind of heart concern.
But the risks don’t end with NSAIDs. Another group of drugs often used for long-lasting or nerve-related pain includes opioids and gabapentinoids, such as gabapentin and pregabalin. These medicines can help reduce severe pain, but a study from Newcastle University in the UK found some worrying side effects.
The researchers looked at health data from more than 133,000 people in the UK Biobank. They found that people who took these drugs were more likely to be overweight and to sleep poorly.
These drugs can act like sedatives, which means they can make people feel very tired and less active. Some of them might also change how food tastes or increase cravings for sweets, making people more likely to eat unhealthy foods and gain weight. This study was published in PLOS ONE.
Taken together, these studies show that while painkillers can help, they also carry risks. Heart issues, kidney problems, weight gain, and poor sleep are just some of the side effects that may happen, especially in people who already have health problems like heart disease or diabetes.
That’s why doctors and patients need to think carefully about when and how to use painkillers. Using them for a short time and at the lowest possible dose may be okay. But for ongoing pain, it may be safer to try other options first—like physical therapy, gentle exercise, mindfulness techniques, or natural treatments that don’t carry the same health risks.
If painkillers are needed, regular checkups can help make sure no serious side effects are developing. These studies serve as a strong reminder: feeling better now should not lead to bigger health problems later. Taking the time to explore all pain management choices can lead to safer, healthier decisions in the long run.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about why light-to-moderate drinking is linked to better heart health and reconsidering the long-term use of high blood pressure beta blockers after a heart attack.
For more about heart health, please read studies about heart disease hidden and essential vitamins for heart health: a guide to a healthy heart.
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