The cardiovascular safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) needs to be reconsidered. In a nested case-control analysis, Hippisley-Cox and Coupland (p 1366) determined the comparative risk of myocardial infarction in patients taking cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX 2) inhibitors and NSAIDs. All drugs in the study were associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, which was statistically significant for rofecoxib, diclofenac, and ibuprofen; no protective effect was seen for naproxen. The authors warn that this is an observational study and may be subject to residual confounding that cannot be fully corrected for.
Figure 1.
Credit: SHOUT/REX