“And one in 14 was taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory – drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen or normal-dose aspirin used to treat pain and arthritis — which can cause ulceration and bleeding,” Dr Porter continued.
“I would hope that most people taking drugs such as low-dose aspirin and anticoagulants to reduce their risk of stroke, heart attack and blood clots will be aware that these benefits have to be balanced against the risk of bleeding.
“However, too few people taking NSAIDs realise quite how dangerous they can be to some. NSAIDs account for about a third of all NHS hospital admissions caused by adverse drug reactions, which in turn account for about one in five hospital beds.”
He continued to warn: “And it is not just bleeding from the gut — NSAIDs can trigger heart attacks, strokes and kidney damage.”