Scientists from the clinical trial service unit at Oxford University, with colleagues from the University of Rome, conducted the study, which was published Thursday in the British Medical Journal.

    The study has shown that two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ibuprofen and diclofenac, could cause attacks when taken in high doses.

    Ibuprofen is one of the most widely used remedies for headaches, period pains and discomfort caused by inflammation. It is used daily by millions of arthritis sufferers.

    Colin Baigent, who directed the research for UK's Medical Research Council, urged caution for many people taking the tablets over-the-counter for complaints like headaches, flu and aches. 

    The drugs have been previously noted for increasing heart attack risk, but experts say this is the biggest and most comprehensive study of its kind, which was carried out over several years and involved 138 trials covering 140,000 patients.

    However, Baigent said that people should not panic at the findings, as the heart attack rate was small and related only to patients who took "about twice what the normal person would take."

    "For a person who is unable to move unless they take these drugs, they may be willing to accept that risk if (the drug) is giving them back their life," Baigent said. Enditem

(Agencies)