Drugs linked to increased heart attack risk

DRUGS used by thousands of Irish people to treat common ailments could be responsible for up to 90 deaths from sudden heart attack each year, according to new research.

The findings of a study conducted by a team of Dutch scientists suggest drugs contained in common antibiotics, indigestion remedies and treatments for mental illness could dramatically increase the risk of cardiac arrest.

Researchers at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam believe drugs prescribed for ailments such as sore throats, vertigo and indigestion could be responsible for up to 15,000 deaths across Europe and the US annually.