Chronic Use of Ibuprofen Can Take Its Toll on the Body
Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that aims in reducing fever and controlling pain and inflammation. This drug was approved as an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine in the UK in 1983 and is known for being the safer, gentler alternative to aspirin.
According to Kenneth Perry, MD, an emergency medicine physician in Charleston, South Carolina, while ibuprofen taken in appropriate doses is considered safe, long-term use can result in some long-standing health issues.
Some studies reveal that chronic NSAID use can increase the risk of peptic ulcer disease, acute renal failure, and stroke/myocardial infarction.
Moreover, with long-term intake of NSAID, it can cause exacerbation of symptoms in people who have heart diseases and can also interact with a number of drugs.
Before taking ibuprofen, it is better to consult first with your doctor.
If ibuprofen is taken as recommended, most of these side effects can be avoided. However, if taken too long or too much, these serious side effects are most likely to occur.
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Serious Side Effects of Ibuprofen
1. It can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke
According to Leann Poston, MD, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen have a black box warning that indicates how it can increase the risk of serious cardiovascular thrombotic events such as heart attacks and strokes. This is the reason why users should only take the lowest dose possible to relieve the pain and should be discontinued as soon as possible. If you need to take it for more than a week, you should consult your healthcare provider.
2. It can cause a headache
It is ironic that the same drug that can relieve headaches can also cause rebound headaches when it is discontinued after taking it for a long time.
Rebound headache is also known as medication overuse headaches, which happens when there is frequent or excessive use of pain relievers. Medication overuse headaches can be disabling, forcing people to be less productive both at home and in school.
3. It can increase blood pressure
Ibuprofen affects how the body produces prostaglandins, which have vasodilating effects and helps regulate the pressure in the kidneys, which in turn maintains blood pressure.
Taking ibuprofen frequently changes your body's production of prostaglandins which can lead to an imbalance in your body fluid pressure, decreasing your kidney function and increasing your blood pressure.
4. It can cause gastric ulcer and intestinal bleeding
Barry Gorlitsky, MD, said that regular ingestion of ibuprofen can cause the stomach to lose its protective barrier and make it prone to sustaining an injury. Prostaglandins also help maintain the stomach lining to protect it from damage caused by stomach acid. Ibuprofen decreases the amount of prostaglandin being produced, when this continues to happen, it can lead to gastritis or inflammation of the stomach. Or worse, it can lead to gastric ulcer or perforation, which could be extremely painful, and may even be life-threatening.
Ibuprofen is a readily accessible drug for minor aches and pains. However, any medicine that is not used as recommended can have serious side effects.
The best choice is to talk to your doctor before taking ibuprofen if you have doubts about its proper usage. Most side effects occur due to taking it in the wrong way, which can all be avoided if you use the smallest possible dose for the shortest possible time.
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