Risk of cardiovascular events (non-fatal myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, non-fatal and fatal stroke) according to frequency of analgesic use and analgesic dose
| Administration per month | 0 | 1–4 | 5–14 | 15–21 | ≥22 | p Value for trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency of analgesic use | ||||||
| Paracetamol | 1.00 | 0.98 (0.84 to 1.14) | 1.09 (0.91 to 1.30) | 1.22 (0.95 to 1.56) | 1.35 (1.14 to 1.59) | 0.0001 |
| Traditional NSAID | 1.00 | 0.95 (0.79 to 1.14) | 1.00 (0.81 to 1.22) | 0.91 (0.67 to 1.23) | 1.44 (1.27 to 1.65) | <0.0001 |
| Tablets per week | 0 | 1–2 | 3–5 | 6–14 | ≥15 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dose dependence | ||||||
| Paracetamol | 1.00 | 1.19 (0.81 to 1.76) | 1.16 (0.76 to 1.76) | 1.47 (1.06 to 2.03) | 1.68 (1.10 to 2.58) | 0.002 |
| Traditional NSAID | 1.00 | 1.00 (0.63 to 1.59) | 0.82 (0.49 to 1.37) | 1.35 (1.00 to 1.81) | 1.86 (1.27 to 2.73) | <0.001 |
Data are the results of a prospective cohort study36 on 70 971 women (aged 44–69 years at baseline, free of a known cardiovascular disease or cancer) that investigated the influence of paracetamol and traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) on the risk of major cardiovascular events (non-fatal myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, non-fatal and fatal stroke) during a 12-year follow-up. Data are multivariate RR. Numbers in brackets are 95% CI.