Long-term use of non-prescription drugs could cause death, study finds

Care is needed when using any type of drug, even non-prescription products, according to a consultant who urged patients not to self-prescribe.

Dr Geraldine McCarthy, a consultant rheumatologist at the Mater Hospital, was commenting yesterday on research which showed that heavy use of common pain-killers such as aspirin or ibuprofen could kill.

The research was published in the current issue of the journal Pain. It said there was one death for every 1,200 patients taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for at least two months.

Most died from complications related to stomach ulcers and would not have died had they not taken NSAIDs, according to the authors of the report from Switzerland and Britain.

The report was basically telling us what we knew already, Dr McCarthy said. There were substantial risks from long-term use of NSAIDs.

The category of drug includes some of the most widely used non-prescription pain-killers such as aspirin and ibuprofen. They are frequently used by those suffering from long-term pain such as arthritis, she said.

However, the findings did not mean patients should immediately stop using the drugs.

"There are people who have taken them for years," Dr McCarthy said. "Some of these would probably have been prescribed this treatment and are under medical supervision."

While NSAIDs could have a negative impact on the stomach, used properly under medical care they could provide important benefits in pain control, she added.

Equally, drugs bought over the counter should not be assumed to be harmless, and care was needed when using any drug.

The most important message, Dr McCarthy said, was that people "should not be their own doctor. If you have symptoms then go see your doctor."

The study is a detailed look at research into serious adverse effects in individuals who had been taking NSAIDs for at least two months.

The combined research allowed the team to examine a large number of people to assess a comparatively rare medical event.

While the side-effects of NSAIDs have been known for years, there have been few large-scale studies on the risks of long-term use.