Can Voltaren drugs increase the risk of stroke?

Voltaren, one of Australia's best-selling painkillers, is at risk of being banned from circulation after a new study shows that the drug increases the risk of stroke in healthy people.

Danish scientists believe that Voltaren, the main anti-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory drug with diclofenac, is one of the drugs that increases the risk of stroke.

Using Voltaren is as dangerous as Vioxx arthritis medication, which was banned from selling in Australia in 2004 because of an increased risk of heart attack.

Results of analyzing data stored at Gentofte University Hospital in Copenhagen (Denmark) for 8 years for more than 2.8 million patients using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs showed diclofenac increases the risk of stroke for 86% of people who were not previously at risk.

The author of the study, cardiologist, Dr. Gunnar Gislason, said that public opinion should raise awareness about cardiovascular risks when using diclofenac, even for those who are completely healthy.

In Denmark, diclofenac is only sold by prescription, but in Australia, Voltaren is widely sold at all checkout counters in supermarkets.

Professor David Henry, Director of the Institute of Clinical Assessment Science based in Toronto (Canada) and currently an adjunct at Newcastle University in New South Wales state, thinks that Voltaren must be removed from the Australian market.

He thinks the drug is too old and toxic, while there are safer alternatives, there is no reason to continue circulating Voltaren on the market , whether sold by prescription or sold at supermarkets.

Australia's medical goods management agency (TGA) said the agency understood concerns about the side effects of diclofenac for cardiovascular disease and indicated the warning information on the product.

TGA recommends that patients should only use diclofenac with the lowest dose during the shortest treatment period possible.