HWN Suggests

World's Most Popular Painkiller Raises Heart Attack Risk

Diclofenac, which dates to the 1970s, is one of the oldest NSAIDs. These drugs act by suppressing prostaglandins, small molecules that have many effects throughout the body. "Good prostaglandins dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow," a desirable effect, Henry says. "Bad prostaglandins increase the tendency of blood to clot," which is undesirable. He says "drugs like diclofenac and Vioxx inhibit the good prostaglandins without inhibiting the bad ones."

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