(NaturalHealth365) Three years ago, people using the arthritis drug, Celebrex breathed a huge sigh of relief.  But, as you’ll soon see, that was a big mistake.

A 2016 study claimed that this arthritis medicine wasn’t any riskier for your heart than other common NSAIDs like naproxen and ibuprofen. So, many people continued to use drugs containing celecoxib, an ingredient found in Celebrex.

Unfortunately, that 2016 study missed something big.  According to a brand new study, there’s a huge risk to using these drugs — heart valve problems.

WARNING: Arthritis drug increases the risk of a heart valve problem by 20%

Aortic valve stenosis occurs when calcium deposits begin to clump on your heart valves. And this makes the valves thick and hard – almost like stone.  When the valves get hard, blood has to move through a narrower passage, and this limits the blood flow to your heart.

Some of the symptoms of aortic stenosis include problems breathing, dizziness, and chest pain.

Eventually, it can lead to high blood pressure or even heart failure. Most people never notice any symptoms until they reach their 70s or older.

However, this new research indicates that taking medicines with celecoxib, like Celebrex, can make this happen faster.

Ironically, researchers originally set out to discover whether celecoxib could treat heart valve disease.

They were shocked when it actually made heart problems even worse. They set out to learn more, analyzing more than 8,600 people who had taken this medicine.

In the end, they found that this drug increased the risk of heart valve calcification by a whopping 20%.

Switch to safer pain relief options to protect your heart

Why didn’t the 2016 study indicate this serious heart risk? Turns out they were only looking at nonfatal strokes and heart attacks and heart-linked deaths.

In reality, they didn’t even consider valve diseases – at all – in their research.

This new research has serious implications, especially for aging adults.  As we age, the risk of hardening valves goes up – especially when coupled with unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Many people over the age of 65 already have some calcification forming, even though they may not realize it.  So, what can you do to protect your heart and prevent heart problems?

Consider switching to safer arthritis pain relief options.   Of course, if you’re already taking Celebrex to treat arthritis, talk to your doctor about changing to a safer alternative.

Natural pain relievers offer an excellent alternative to medicines that contain celecoxib.  And making the switch is even more important if you already are at risk for heart valve disease.

Natural arthritis pain relief options include vitamin C, turmeric, and Boswellia. Alternative treatments like massage and acupuncture have also been proven to improve arthritis pain.

And, finally, it never hurts to avoid an inflammatory diet loaded with white sugar, processed foods and alcohol.  The more you eat natural (unprocessed) organic foods, the better.

Sources for this article include:

NEJM.org
ScienceDirect.com
MedicalNewsToday.com
NaturalHealth365.com
NaturalHealth365.com
NaturalHealth365.com
NaturalHealth365.com