Controlling cholesterol may be important for heart health in patients who are taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen (Aleve), according to a new study published in the journal Surgery.
The study on NSAIDs and cholesterol was done by researchers from Harvard Medical School, the Medical School of Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital.
The research examined the safety of NSAID medications in clinically relevant animal models when high cholesterol is a factor.
NSAIDs are among the most widely-used drugs today for the treatment of post-operative pain, inflammatory conditions and fever. Despite that, the factors that affect their cardiovascular safety are not well understood and some studies suggest that there may be an increased incidence of cardiovascular complications such as heart attack or death.
Learn more about NSAID risks: Why Medication Can Be Dangerous to Your Health
This study, led by principal investigator Frank Sellke, M.D., chief of cardiothoracic surgery and research at Rhode Island Hospital, developed an animal model of hypercholesterolemia to investigate the formation of collateral vessels and other effects in the heart, and the safety of NSAID and other medications.
Sellke says, "We found that a high-cholesterol diet reduced blood flow to the heart muscle in our animal models with chronic heart disease when given daily naproxen. We also found reduced levels of prostacyclin, a compound that dilates blood vessels and prevents blood clots. These findings suggest that there may be a stronger risk of negative effects on the heart in patients who have high cholesterol levels and are taking NSAIDs as a form of pain or inflammation relief."
First author of the study Louis Chu, M.D., adds, "Our study indicates that physicians should be aware that cholesterol control may be especially important if patients are taking NSAID medications such as naproxen."
Sellke adds, "While the results of these animal experiments are interesting and may provide information regarding the effect of a high fat diet on the response to naproxen and other similar medications, one cannot make definitive statements on the effect of these medications on patients without first doing clinical studies."
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Reference:
Surgery. 2011 Sep;150(3):490-6. “High-fat diet alters prostanoid balance and perfusion in ischemic myocardium of naproxen-treated swine.” Chu LM, Robich MP, Lassaletta AD, Feng J, Xu SH, Heinl R, Liu Y, Sellke E, Sellke FW.
Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University; Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School
The study was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.
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