That headline is too broad to take literally. There isn’t a standard medical list of “five medications that cause heart attacks and strokes in older people.” The risk depends on the specific drug, dose, medical condition, and other medicines being taken. Older adults are also more vulnerable to medication side effects and drug interactions.
Some medication groups that deserve particular caution include:
- NSAID painkillers — such as ibuprofen and naproxen. They can raise blood pressure, cause fluid retention, and increase cardiovascular risk, particularly in people with heart disease or heart failure.
- Decongestants — especially pseudoephedrine, which can raise blood pressure and heart rate.
- Certain diabetes medicines — for example, rosiglitazone has been associated with increased heart-failure risk.
- Some stimulants — these can increase heart rate and blood pressure and may pose cardiovascular risks in susceptible people.
- Aspirin used for primary prevention — in older adults who have never had a heart attack or stroke, the bleeding risk can outweigh the cardiovascular benefit. This is different from aspirin prescribed after a heart attack or stroke.
Most important: don’t stop a prescribed medicine because of a social-media warning. A doctor or pharmacist should review your complete medication list, especially if you take five or more medicines.
