Some Painkillers May Be Risky After Heart Attack

May 9, 2011 -- Even short-term use of a popular type of painkiller may be dangerous for people who have had a heart attack.

A new study shows heart attack survivors who were prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were 45% more likely to die or have another heart attack within one week of treatment.

NSAIDs include ibuprofen, Indocin (indomethacin), Voltaren (diclofenac) -- among many others - as well as the selective Cox-2 inhibitor Celebrex (celecoxib).