Experts new advice: Naproxen a safe painkiller

Naproxen called a safe painkiller option for many

Wednesday, September 13, 2006
ASSOCIATED PRESS


Worried that your painkiller could trigger a heart attack or dangerous stomach bleeding?

New reports on painkiller risks, based on reviews of dozens of studies of hundreds of thousands of patients, indicate most patients should try naproxen, an older anti-inflammatory drug.

Experts say it doesn't raise heart-attack or stroke risk ?- a major worry for older people ?-and naproxen is inexpensive because generic versions have been around for years. Available over the counter, it's taken by millions of Americans.

The drawback is that like most painkillers, it can irritate the stomach, so doctors say some people might also need to take one of the newer acidreflux drugs.

"I do think we should start with naproxen in the vast majority of cases," said Dr. Steven Nissen, head of cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic and president of the American College of Cardiology. "It's about balancing the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risk."

The new reports were published yesterday ahead of schedule on the Web site of the Journal of the American Medical Association because of their public-health implications. They will be published in the Oct. 4 issue of the journal.

The two studies raise new concerns about the painkiller diclofenac. The commonly used anti-inflammatory drug, also sold as Voltaren and Cataflam, carries as high a risk of heart attack or stroke as Vioxx does.

The new analyses also provide even more evidence of the dangers to the heart and kidneys posed by Vioxx.

The findings should help patients and doctors confused about painkiller safety since news about the risks of Vioxx, Bextra and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.