The Daily Mail, and other news sources, reported yesterday on the increased cardiovascular risk associated with diclofenac. This is not a new concern, even if the published study in PLoS Medicine [Paper Here] is. The MHRA have issued a press release which contains the following points:
To minimise the risk of side effects, our advice remains that all NSAIDs should be used for the shortest time and at the lowest dose necessary to control symptoms. People should not stop taking their NSAID medicine, but if they have any questions about their treatment they should speak to their doctor or pharmacist.
The MHRA advice on the cardiovascular safety of Cox-2 inhibitors and non-selective NSAIDs still stands. As the National Prescribing Centre said last time a study about this issue was published, this shouldn’t be new news, and the message is sinking in with prescribers.