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Generic Name: Ibuprofen
Brand Name(s):
Information updated: April 1, 2000
Overview
Ibuprofen is a pain reliever used primarily for arthritis.
It may
also be prescribed for menstrual cramps, bursitis, tendinitis, sprains, strains
and other painful conditions. It belongs to a class of medications commonly
called NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
It is now
available generically, but previously it was one of the most popular arthritis
drugs on the market under the brand name Motrin.
Ibuprofen may be
prescribed generically or by brand names such as Children's Advil, Ibu-Tab,
Motrin or Rufen. It is also available without prescription under such names as
Advil, Bayer Select Pain Relief, Medipren, Nuprin or Motrin IB, among
others.
Side Effects and Interactions
Unquestionably the most common side effects of
ibuprofen involve the gastrointestinal tract. They include nausea, indigestion,
heartburn, cramps, gas, constipation, and diarrhea.
Some people may
develop ulcers and intestinal bleeding while taking ibuprofen.
Occasionally these problems can occur without obvious symptoms and lead
to a life-threatening crisis due to perforation of the stomach lining.
Older
people appear to be more susceptible to this problem and should be monitored
carefully.
Warning signs include weight loss, persistent indigestion, a
feeling of fullness after moderate meals, dark or tarry stools, anemia and
unusual fatigue.
Home stool tests such as Hemoccult or Fleet Detecatest
may provide an early indication of bleeding.
Other side effects to be
alert for include headache, ringing in the ears, rash, itching, nervousness,
fluid retention and loss of appetite.
Drowsiness, dizziness,
lightheadedness, and confusion are possible, so do not drive if you become
impaired.
Less common adverse reactions include insomnia, heart
palpitations, hair loss, depression, tiredness, anemia or other blood changes,
fever, visual disturbances, meningitis and sores in the mouth.
Some
people might become sensitive to sunlight while on ibuprofen, so use an
effective sunscreen or stay well covered. Report any symptoms to your physician
promptly.
Ibuprofen can affect both the kidney and liver, so periodic
blood tests to monitor the function of these organs are important for anyone on
this drug long-term.
This medication can adversely interact with many
other drugs. A person taking a blood thinner like Coumadin may become far more
vulnerable to a dangerous bleeding ulcer.
Aspirin may reduce the
effectiveness of ibuprofen for reducing inflammation.
All the NSAIDs,
including ibuprofen, can make methotrexate (Folex, Mexate, Rheumatrex) and
lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid, etc.) far more toxic.
Other potentially
serious interactions may occur with ibuprofen reducing the effectiveness of ACE
inhibitor blood pressure medicines such as Altace,
Lotensin
or Vasotec,
beta-blocker blood pressure drugs like Corgard,
Inderal LA
or Tenormin,
and diuretics such as Bumex, Lasix
or Maxzide.
Hemorrhage with the combination of ginko
and aspirin has been reported. We advise against combining arthritis medicines
such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, etc.) with ginkgo biloba extract.
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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated radio show can be heard on public radio.
© 2000