Ibuprofen to reduce CV risk insmokers?
Ibuprofen may offer an alternative to smoking cessation to reduce cardiovascular risk in smokers who can’t quit, say US researchers. Their analysis of a major US survey shows that low use of ibuprofen reduces levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of systemic inflammation that correlates with the risk of
cardiovascular disease (1). Given that smoking cessation strategies are not very effective, ibuprofen might offer another
means to lower long-term risks.

The findings come from a new analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which produced complete data on 18,162 adults across the United States. Just over half were current or previous smokers.

The use of aspirin and ibuprofen in the previous month was categorised as none, low (1 - 10 times), medium (11 - 30 times) and high >30 times). CRP was measured in samples collected as part of the survey protocol.

After adjusting the data for a range of factors - age, sex, weight, the presence of inflammatory conditions or cardiovascular
disease, and health status - the analysis showed that ibuprofen, but not aspirin, was associated with a decreased likelihood of having a raised CRP. This was statistically significant for low use but not medium or high use of ibuprofen, and was true for both current smokers and ever smokers.

Most smokers are unable to quit: a recent analysis of clinical trials of nicotine replacement therapy found that only 5 percent of smokers remained abstinent after 8 years (2). There is therefore a need for alternative strategies to reduce the
long-term risks associated with smoking.

Prospective clinical trials are now needed to determine whether ibuprofen confers protection against cardiovascular disease in persistent smokers.

1. Mainous AG, Pearson WS. Aspirin and ibuprofen: potential mediators of the cardiovascular risk due to smoking? Family
Medicine 2003:35:112-8

2. Yudkin P, Hey K, Roberts S. Abstinence from smoking eight years after participation in randomised controlled trial of nicotine
patch. Br Med J 2003;327:28-9

Contact us
For more information.