Common painkiller may not be to blame for blood clots in women on the pill
The higher risk of blood clots (venous thromboembolism, VTE) seen in women who use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with hormonal contraceptives (HCs) is likely due to the health problem for which the painkillers are taken, rather than the painkillers themselves, according to a large observational study of more than 3 million women using HCs in four European countries, published in…
A new study suggests that common painkillers, when taken alongside hormonal contraceptives, may not be directly responsible for an increased risk of blood clots in women. Instead, the underlying health conditions being treated with the painkillers may contribute to the elevated risk. The research, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women's Health, analyzed data from over 3 million women across Denmark, Norway, Spain, and the U.K., finding a rise in blood clot risk in the days leading up to NSAID use, peaking on the first day, and remaining elevated while the medication was taken.
While the study does not rule out a direct impact of NSAIDs on the risk, it suggests that the pre-existing health issues being treated by the painkillers could play a significant role in the increased risk of blood clots.
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