Does taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increase the risk of heart attack or stroke?

Answer From Rekha Mankad, M.D.

Yes. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — medications commonly used to treat pain and inflammation — can increase the risk of a heart attack and stroke. This increase in risk affects people who already have heart disease and those who don't. However, the risk is greater in those who have heart disease.

You can buy NSAIDs without a prescription. And some NSAIDs are available only by prescription. Examples of NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve, Anaprox DS, others), diclofenac sodium and celecoxib (Celebrex).

If you need to take an NSAID, take the smallest dose for as short a time as possible. This limits the risk of heart attack or stroke. NSAIDs are generally safe for most people to take once in a while. But be aware that serious side effects can occur as early as the first weeks of daily NSAID use. The risk can increase the longer it's taken.

To help ease muscle or joint pain, consider other therapies — such as hot or cold packs or physical therapy — before taking NSAIDs. Your health care provider might suggest other medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) for general pain relief. If you have COVID-19, there's no evidence to suggest avoiding ibuprofen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Aspirin doesn't appear to be associated with a higher risk of heart attack or stroke. If you take aspirin to help prevent a heart attack, talk with your health care provider before taking NSAIDs. Some NSAIDs interact with aspirin and affect its ability to prevent a heart attack.

If you develop signs or symptoms of a heart attack or stroke — such as chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness in one part of the body or side of the body, or sudden slurred speech — get medical attention right away.

With

Rekha Mankad, M.D.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Aug. 11, 2022 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Abdominal pain
  2. Angina treatment: Stents, drugs, lifestyle changes — What's best?
  3. Anxiety disorders
  4. Blood tests for heart disease
  5. Calcium supplements: A risk factor for heart attack?
  6. Can vitamins help prevent a heart attack?
  7. Cardiac catheterization
  8. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): First aid
  9. Chelation therapy for heart disease: Does it work?
  10. Chest X-rays
  11. Coronary angiogram
  12. Coronary artery bypass surgery
  13. Coronary artery disease
  14. Coronary artery disease: Angioplasty or bypass surgery?
  15. What is coronary artery disease? A Mayo Clinic cardiologist explains.
  16. Coronary artery disease FAQs
  17. Daily aspirin therapy
  18. Dizziness
  19. Drug-eluting stents
  20. Echocardiogram
  21. Ejection fraction: What does it measure?
  22. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
  23. Excessive sweating
  24. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
  25. Fasting diet: Can it improve my heart health?
  26. Fatigue
  27. Flu Shot Prevents Heart Attack
  28. Flu shots and heart disease
  29. Four Steps to Heart Health
  30. Grass-fed beef
  31. Healthy Heart for Life!
  32. Heart attack
  33. Heart attack
  34. Heart attack prevention: Should I avoid secondhand smoke?
  35. Heart attack symptoms
  36. Heart Attack Timing
  37. Heart disease
  38. Heart disease in women: Understand symptoms and risk factors
  39. Heart-healthy diet: 8 steps to prevent heart disease
  40. Heartburn or chest pain?
  41. Interval Training
  42. Menus for heart-healthy eating
  43. Nausea and vomiting
  44. Niacin to improve cholesterol numbers
  45. Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health
  46. Omega-3 in fish
  47. Omega-6 fatty acids
  48. Polypill: Does it treat heart disease?
  49. Pseudoaneurysm: What causes it?
  50. Red wine, antioxidants and resveratrol
  51. Shortness of breath
  52. Silent heart attack
  53. Sleep disorders
  54. Heart disease prevention
  55. Stress test
  56. Symptom Checker
  57. Integrative approaches to treating pain
  58. Nutrition and pain
  59. Pain rehabilitation
  60. Self-care approaches to treating pain
  61. Video: Heart and circulatory system