Painkillers used in Kenya linked to cardiac arrest, study shows
Two painkillers commonly used in Kenya have been linked to increased risk of cardiac arrest, a study has shown.The research published Wednesday in the European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy (EHJ-CVP) warns that increased cardiovascular risk is a global concern because the drugs are widely used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and bring down a high temperature.
The study shows the use of any painkiller classified as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) was associated with a 31 per cent increased risk of cardiac arrest. Other NSAIDs include aspirin, naproxen, celecoxib and rofecoxib but these are fairly safer, the study shows
It further says diclofenac, which costs Sh100 per tablet in Kenya (its generic costs Sh5 per tablet), is associated with a 50 per cent risk of cardiac arrest. On the other hand, ibuprofen’s risk of causing a cardiac arrest is 31 per cent. The drug costs about Sh10 a tablet and its generic Sh1.
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Painkillers work by, among other ways,
constricting blood vessels such as arteries, influencing the clumping
together of platelets in the blood, which causes blood clots, increases
fluid retention and raises blood pressure.
Therefore, the researchers advise limiting ibuprofen to 1,200 milligrammes per day and avoiding diclofenac altogether.
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