Voltaren may increase risk of stroke
The popular over the counter pain killer diclonfenac, best known as Voltaren, has been found to increase the risk of a stroke by 40%, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The risk increased at doses of between 100 mg and 150 mg per day.
It is also available on prescription and the 50 mg diclofenac is one of the top 50 drugs subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, with almost 800,000 scripts written in 2004-05.
The author of the article said patients ‘do not need to panic’ but that the elderly and those at risk of heart attacks should consider alternative treatment.
The Australian Theraputic Goods Administration is currently conducting a review of diclofenac, looking at the drug in greater detail than the just published review.
Diclofenac is also sold as Dinac, Fenac, Diclohexal and other names as well as Voltaren.
