Aspirin is often used to reduce the risk of heart attacks in middle-aged and older people. A new study suggests that the anti-clotting benefits of aspirin might disappear if people also take a common prescription pain reliever. Laboratory studies at the University of Michigan show that Celebrex can interfere with the anti-clotting effects of low-dose aspirin. Doctors and patients should be alert for this interaction. Previous studies suggested that other pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, might also counteract the cardiovascular benefits of aspirin.
[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, online Dec. 1, 2009]
