Ibuprofen
- Class: NSAID
- Used for: pain and inflammation
- Say it: eye-byoo-PROH-fen
- Forms: tablet, capsule, oral liquid, injection
IBUPROFEN BUSTS the PROSTAGLANDINS that make an injury swell, throb and hurt.
Blocking COX stops prostaglandin production. The same blockade removes the prostaglandins protecting the stomach lining and the kidney — which is the whole side-effect profile in one sentence.
One enzyme makes the prostaglandins behind pain and the ones that protect the stomach lining and keep blood flowing through the kidney. You cannot block the first without losing the other two.
Side effects
Common: stomach upset, heartburn, fluid retention
Serious: stomach bleeding, kidney injury
Typical dose
200–400 mg three or four times daily; maximum 2400 mg
With food, at the lowest dose for the shortest time. Avoid in renal impairment and heart failure.
Check yourself
Why do NSAIDs cause stomach ulcers?
- The same COX enzyme makes the prostaglandins that protect the stomach lining
- They are acidic and burn the lining on contact
- They increase stomach acid production
- They kill the stomach's protective bacteria
Show answer
A. The same COX enzyme makes the prostaglandins that protect the stomach lining
Local irritation adds a little, but the main damage is systemic: an injected NSAID causes ulcers too. Losing protective prostaglandins is the mechanism, which is why a PPI is given alongside in at-risk patients.
See it, don't memorize it
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