A leading doctor has revealed which common medications taken by millions of people could put you at risk of a heart attack.
Dr. Zain Hasan, an anesthesiologist in California, highlighted nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Aleve (the brand name for naproxen sodium) and Motrin (ibuprofen).
While these medications are used to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever, over time they can cause changes in the blood that increase the chance of heart attacks and strokes.
If taken in high doses and for long periods of time, they can cause blood clots to form more easily, which can block heart arteries and potentially increase blood pressure due to fluid retention.
The FDA says the drugs can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 10 to 50 percent or more, depending on the drugs and doses studied.
The risk is particularly high for people with pre-existing heart conditions, so people are urged to discuss medications with their doctor.
Next, Dr. Hasan warns about the risks associated with corticosteroids like prednisone, which are a different class of anti-inflammatory drugs compared to NSAIDs.
These medications, used to treat conditions such as asthma, allergic reactions, arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease, can also cause water retention, which can then affect the heart in the long term.
FROM THE HEART: Dr Zain Hasan has revealed which common medications taken by millions of people could put you at risk of a heart attack.
Corticosteroids can narrow blood vessels and cause an increase in blood pressure. Over time, this damages the arteries and increases the workload of the heart, making it more susceptible to blockages and heart failure.
These types of steroids can also cause hardening of the arteries, making it difficult to properly transport blood to and from the heart.
At number three on Dr. Hasan’s list are chemotherapy drugs.
Explaining his reasoning, the doctor says: ‘Certain chemotherapy drugs can affect the heart, causing heart failure and breathing problems.
“(It) makes sense because chemotherapy affects every part of the body.”
Dr. Hasan says the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin is the worst culprit when it comes to developing heart problems.
The British Heart Foundation says that at the current maximum dosage limit for doxorubicin, which only a small number of patients receive, seven in every 100 people receiving this dose will develop heart failure.
From the research, the charity says it has “established that an enzyme called NADPH oxidase, which is produced naturally in the body but is increased in disease, plays an important role in causing heart failure in response to chemotherapy “.
He says that when mice were given high doses of doxorubicin chemotherapy and the activity of this enzyme was blocked, the rodents were found to be protected against heart failure.
Several studies support the doctor’s claims
Researchers are now trying to understand exactly how this enzyme causes heart failure in response to chemotherapy and whether blocking its action in cancer patients could prevent this from happening.
Continuing, Dr. Hasan says that certain diabetes medications can also negatively affect the heart.
He emphasizes that it is not the “majority” of diabetes medications, but certain medications such as Avandia (rosiglitazone) are linked to heart failure and can affect the heart in the long term.
One study found that people taking Avandia were 33 percent more likely to have a heart attack, heart failure, or death from heart problems or other causes.
Because of these links, sales of the drug used to treat type 2 diabetes were discontinued in Europe in 2010 and it is rarely prescribed in the United States.
Dr. Hasan says that when selecting a medication, you sometimes have to “weigh the risks against the benefits” beforehand.
The last drugs he mentions are stimulants, such as Adderall and Ritalin, used to treat ADHD.
It is alarming, he says, that these medications are prescribed “intensely” to children.
In the United States, about 3.4 million children ages 3 to 17 take ADHD medications.
Dr. Hasan says these medications, which increase neurotransmitter levels in the brain to help improve focus and concentration, have a big impact on the heart.
He explains: ‘TThese medications are stimulants. What does that mean? It increases your heart rate, it increases your blood pressure, it makes you more awake, it has more blood flow to your brain.
Dr. Hasan is an anesthesiologist based in Los Angeles.
“But if you think about it, if you continuously stimulate your heart for a long period of time, it makes a lot of sense that it could damage your heart.”
One study found that people who take ADHD medication for more than five years have a 23 percent higher risk of heart disease than those who don’t take medication.
As with all the medications he mentions, Dr. Hasan advises speaking with a healthcare provider before switching.
Stopping medication suddenly can be dangerous and carries a higher risk of withdrawal symptoms. Your original health problems are also more likely to return or get worse.