In the United States, drug companies have to be very clear about the potential side effects of drugs that people take. Even if these medications are deemed safe for public use, that public still needs to know what the risks look like. It’s the reason that every drug commercial has a voiceover telling you about a huge list of potential issues.

Common risks

That said, many people who take common or over-the-counter medications may not realize exactly what risks they face. For example, some common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been found to make it more likely that you will have a stroke.

One example is ibuprofen, something many people have at home and take without a second thought or without reading the bottle. Another is naproxen. With either, the increase in stroke risk is small, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t there. If you take these regularly and then have a stroke, which can be fatal or at least a life-changing event, is it because of the medications that you were taking?

Plus, this is just one example of how Americans face potential threats from medications every single day. It’s all too easy to focus on the benefits and ignore the downsides, or to assume that feeling fine in the moment means that there won’t be any long-term ramifications. This can put you in danger of a serious injury or even death.