Heart attack: Painkiller could be increasing your risk

What's the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest?

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It normally takes around 20 minutes to work if ingested through the mouth and one to two days if rubbed into the skin.

The painkiller is not without its dangers, however.

Take it for too long and it can start to have some negative side effects.

This includes increasing your risk of having a heart attack or developing other heart conditions.

Ibuprofen’s dangerous results are agreed on by both sides of the Atlantic.

The NHS website says “there’s an increased risk of stomach upset, including bleeding, kidney and heart problems” if you take ibuprofen for too long.

Not everyone can take ibuprofen either.

You might not be able to have it if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to the painkiller before.

Furthermore, pregnant women can’t take it and it isn’t suitable for some children.

Ibuprofen isn’t the only painkiller available.

Each one is available to different degrees and one painkiller may be more appropriate for one pain more than another.

Paracetamol is the painkiller you’re probably most familiar with; it is used to treat headaches and most non-nerve pains.

Aspirin, like ibuprofen, is an NSAID.

Whilst categorised as a painkiller, it is not usually used to relieve pain.

Codeine is a type of painkiller that works more effectively when combined with paracetamol in a single pill advises the NHS.

This pill, known as co-codamol, can be purchased over the counter in pharmacies and, like aspirin, is not recommended for long term use.

Morphine is another form of painkiller that you’ll be familiar with; they are the strongest painkillers that exist and will only be prescribed.

Coming in the form of a patch, injection, or a pump, both your dose and response to the drug will be monitored.

You can find more information about chronic pain conditions on the NHS website.

If you have pain of any kind that persists, consult your GP.

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