The drugs included in the study were non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and anti-inflammatory drugs known as COX-2 inhibitors.
The research conducted by researchers at the Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark found that both pain relievers were associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation or heart flutters.
The link appeared to be strongest for non-users, who had a 40 percent increased risk for NSAIDs and a 70 percent increased risk of COX-2 inhibitors.
What’s more, the risk was most elevated among older people, patients with chronic kidney disease or rheumatoid arthritis starting treatment with COX-2 inhibitors.