Ibuprofen and Aspirin Can be a Deadly Combo

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from http://v.mercola.com/blogs/public_blog/Ibuprofen-and-Aspirin-Still-Don-t-Mix-10006.aspxIbuprofen and Aspirin Can be a Deadly Combo POSTED BY Dr. Mercola View Dr. Mercola's Profile Add Dr. Mercola to Friends Receive Updates from Dr. Mercola By News Feed April 09, 2007 The common painkiller ibuprofen could boost the likelihood of heart problems in high-risk patients with osteoarthritis. Researchers examined the cardiovascular health of more than 18,000 osteoarthritis patients over the age of 50. The patients were taking part in the Therapeutic Arthritis Research and Gastrointestinal Event

Trial (TARGET), and were either taking a high dose of lumiracoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, ibuprofen, or naproxen. Patients whose risk of cardiovascular disease was deemed low during the study remained that regardless of their drug regimen. But 10 percent were considered to be at high risk of a heart attack or stroke; some of these patients were taking low-dose aspirin for this problem. When these high-risk patients were taking both aspirin and ibuprofen, they were nine times as likely to have heart attacks and strokes over the course of a year as those on lumiracoxib. Previous studies have suggested that ibuprofen interferes with the effects of aspirin. Among high-risk patients not taking aspirin, the rate of heart attacks or strokes was higher for those on COX -2 inhibitors and ibuprofen than it was for those on naproxen.