Is the heart disease risk associated with NSAIDs seen only after years of consistent use?
While many studies support a dose-response relationship between NSAIDs and CV risk, there is also existing data to suggest that CV risk may be evident following exposure to NSAIDs in as little as 30 days. Some of these studies were limited to high-risk patients following a recent cardiac event, limiting the generalizability of results. However, a recent metaanalysis (with >400,000 patients) evaluated patients at varying risk levels and reinforced the concept of early CV events within 30 days of NSAID initiation. The current FDA labeling for NSAIDs includes a warning on the potential risk for stroke or MI in the first few weeks of NSAID use.
