Clipping Board » Medical Harm ─ Unnecessary or inappropriate medical procedures can also cause harm.
Update Date: 2010/08/21 07:01
Doctors at National Taiwan University have discovered that non-steroidal painkillers may not only increase the risk of heart attacks but also the risk of stroke. Analyzing 38,000 stroke cases, NTU found that individuals with hypertension who received intravenous painkillers had an estimated stroke risk six times higher than the general population.
When experiencing severe pain, some doctors may administer pain-relief injections to patients. However, Dr. Zhang Jiaxun, an attending physician in internal medicine at NTU, warns that this could increase the risk of stroke. After investigating 38,000 patients, doctors found that 30% of stroke patients had used non-steroidal painkillers such as celecoxib, naproxen, ibuprofen, diclofenac, and ketorolac within six months prior to their stroke.
What’s more concerning is that these ingredients can also be found in common oral medications for relieving headaches, toothaches, and back pain. The research team concluded that the cause of stroke is related to blood pressure.
Taiwanese people’s heavy reliance on painkillers is considered a global anomaly. Statistics show that approximately NT$3.9 billion is spent annually on painkillers, with per capita consumption 7.2 times higher than that of Americans. Doctors advise that unless absolutely necessary, it’s best to avoid taking or injecting painkillers. (FTV News, Weng Yu-rong and Cai Ruishan, Taipei Report)
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 100820/ 11/ 2bhxo. html
IV Painkiller Raises Stroke Risk 6-Fold
Doctors at National Taiwan University have discovered that non-steroidal painkillers may not only increase the risk of heart attacks but also the risk of stroke. Analyzing 38,000 stroke cases, NTU found that individuals with hypertension who received intravenous painkillers had an estimated stroke risk six times higher than the general population.
When experiencing severe pain, some doctors may administer pain-relief injections to patients. However, Dr. Zhang Jiaxun, an attending physician in internal medicine at NTU, warns that this could increase the risk of stroke. After investigating 38,000 patients, doctors found that 30% of stroke patients had used non-steroidal painkillers such as celecoxib, naproxen, ibuprofen, diclofenac, and ketorolac within six months prior to their stroke.
What’s more concerning is that these ingredients can also be found in common oral medications for relieving headaches, toothaches, and back pain. The research team concluded that the cause of stroke is related to blood pressure.
Taiwanese people’s heavy reliance on painkillers is considered a global anomaly. Statistics show that approximately NT$3.9 billion is spent annually on painkillers, with per capita consumption 7.2 times higher than that of Americans. Doctors advise that unless absolutely necessary, it’s best to avoid taking or injecting painkillers. (FTV News, Weng Yu-rong and Cai Ruishan, Taipei Report)
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 100820/ 11/ 2bhxo. html