Many people run because it raises their heart rate, which can be a good thing, right? Right! Well, in some senses, but what if you decide to take an Ibuprofen before a run because you are feeling some pain that may slow you down. This is where it gets tricky. Ibuprofen naturally raises your blood pressure and so does the physical activity of exercising.  All of a sudden there are 2 things increasing your heart rate and it has the ability to throw you off of your game. If you already struggle with high blood pressure, this combination can cause you to have a mini stroke. There is also the factor that NSAIDs block an enzyme in the body called cyclooxygenase (COX) that is used to protect the heart. Due to this, NSAIDs are known to raise the risk of heart attack and adds an extra risk during your exercise.