Do you take the pain reliever Aleve? There is important new information about that drug. Its information that could save your life. On the heels of the drug Vioxx being pulled from store shelves, and warnings about another arthritis drug Celebrex, comes word of problems with a popular over the counter medication.

Aleve has been an over the counter drug for nearly 30 years. Many take it for everyday aches and pains, and in severe cases, arthritis but today's findings have officials of the Food and Drug Administration admitting they're confused and not quite sure what their next step is going to be.

Three years ago the National Institute of Health began a study, testing whether Celebrex or Naproxen would reduce the risk of Alzheimer's Disease. The goal was to decide if pain-relieving drugs lowered the risk of developing this mind robbing disease, but the results were more than health officials bargained for.

Patients who took only Naproxen, the ingredient in Aleve, for pain over the past three years had heart attacks or strokes 50 percent more than those who took a placebo drug for pain. Even with these findings, officials don't plan to pull Aleve from the shelves soon.

Dr. Bruce Hensel, a medical expert says, This does not mean that this drug, Celebrex or Vioxx...cause heart attacks. It just means if you already have a risk of heart attack it might increase that risk.

The FDA says those of you taking Naproxen daily should follow the drug directions carefully including the instruction not to take it for more than 10 days.