Three widely-used over-the-counter pain killers are now in the spotlight after being linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Aleve^®, Celebrex^® and Vioxx^® have all been linked to these adverse effects on health.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) decided to end its on-going study in December after researchers revealed that patients taking Aleve had 50% more heart attacks and strokes as compared to patients taking a placebo. 70 incidents occurred among patients taking the drug.

After the study was brought to an end, a warning was issued by the FDA. The Agency warned patients against taking Aleve and other products containing naproxyn longer than a 10-day period without consulting their physician.

Some 2,500 elderly patients volunteered for the study, which was designed to determine if anti-inflammatory drugs affected the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Aleve is the brand name for the drug Naproxen. Other popular brand names of the drug include Anaprox^®, Naprelan^® and Naprosyn^®.

SOURCE: Tampa Tribune, December 21, 2004, pp. 1,7; WebMD Health, www. m y.webmd.com, December 21, 2004.