THURSDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, is associated with an increased risk of being hospitalized for those with prior diagnosis of heart failure, according to a study published online May 22 in Heart.
Consuelo Huerta, M.D., M.P.H., of the Centro Espanol de Investigacion Farmacoepidemiologica in Madrid, Spain, and colleagues analyzed data on 1,396 patients aged 60 to 84 years who were hospitalized for non-fatal heart failure, and a random sample of 5,000 controls.
The data revealed an incidence rate of 2.7 per 1,000 person-years. Overall, the main risk factor for hospital admission with heart failure was previous clinical diagnosis. After controlling for other confounding factors, there was a nearly 30 percent higher risk of first hospitalization for heart failure among those who were current users of NSAIDs. The duration of use and dosage taken did not have an effect on outcome.
"Heart failure is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly and even a small increase in the risk can translate into a significant disease burden in the general population. Therefore, NSAIDs should be used with caution by patients at high risk of hospital admission due to heart failure," the authors conclude.
The study was funded by a research grant from Pfizer Inc.
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