Common Painkillers Raise Heart-Attack Risk, Study Indicates

Scientists on both sides of the Atlantic continue to uncover troubling news about commonly used painkillers, including ibuprofen and Celebrex. The latest data comes from a large British study that found that popular painkillers called NSAIDS -- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs -- do elevate the risk of heart attack. These drugs include ibuprofen and Vioxx, one of a newer generation of anti-inflammatories called cox-2 inhibitors that was pulled from the U.S. market in September after studies linked it to heightened risks for heart attack and stroke. The authors of the study, which appears in the June 11 issue of the British Medical Journal, cautioned against stopping use of the drugs just yet, however.

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