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Can Ibuprofen Be Taken For A Long Duration?

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Posted on Sat, 15 Oct 2016
Question: Hello. I would be very interested in doctor's comments about this article. Perhaps they really mean people taking Ibuprofen daily for months at 6 or more, or something like that!?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-0000/Taking-ibuprofen-raise-heart-risk-fifth-long-term-use-painkiller-causes-chemical-reaction-puts-strain-organ.html

Thank you, Dr. Wachsman. We laymen are faced with these news articles all the time that have no benefit to the public except to scare us all the time that every time we take an OTC product if we are in basically good health we are placed on the edge of death (!!). I will reread your comments and share them as well. I wish the media would provide a fuller view of these subjects. But they do it with health like with everything else. Alas....

The same or even worse is said in the media about Tylenol/Acetominophen, everything destroys the organs, raises blood pressure, etc. etc. Pseudophedrine, etc.etc......
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (24 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
it isn't news.

Detailed Answer:
Seriously, this is in the package insert and every textbook going back over 20 years a nd probalby more like 50 years.
We know the entire process down to the molecule. I warned people on this site just last week about this.
Basically, the same process that keeps fluid out of your joints lowers the fluid going through the kidney and fluid builds up.

It is VERY GRANULAR data. If you do not have heart or kidney failure your risk of this is zero. If you already have fluid retention, then some significant effect of this is far more than a 15% risk. If you are near dialysis, then the aspirin drugs are near a 100% risk of making the kidneys not work (mostly just while the drug is there, and all better in a few hours when it is out of the system).

so, for a particular person the risk is mostly 100% or zero risk; the 15% is a lame analysis because it ignores different packs of people (hence the term 'granular' the data is like little bunches of people).

Brief Answer:
yes, in the generally healthy majority they are over the counter

Detailed Answer:
because they are generally safe.
The trick is, here the bar is set really low. They have to be safe as aspirin.
Aspirin is harsher on the stomach. There is about a 10% risk of stomach irritaiton with regular use of any of them but tylenol.
Aspirin is harsher on the kidney. But basically, it's either zero or 100% risk....not on heart failure fluid pills?... no dialysis?... zero.
And.... they all can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Slightly. If used daily.
They also help increase muscle mass in weight lifting older people.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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Can Ibuprofen Be Taken For A Long Duration?

Brief Answer: it isn't news. Detailed Answer: Seriously, this is in the package insert and every textbook going back over 20 years a nd probalby more like 50 years. We know the entire process down to the molecule. I warned people on this site just last week about this. Basically, the same process that keeps fluid out of your joints lowers the fluid going through the kidney and fluid builds up. It is VERY GRANULAR data. If you do not have heart or kidney failure your risk of this is zero. If you already have fluid retention, then some significant effect of this is far more than a 15% risk. If you are near dialysis, then the aspirin drugs are near a 100% risk of making the kidneys not work (mostly just while the drug is there, and all better in a few hours when it is out of the system). so, for a particular person the risk is mostly 100% or zero risk; the 15% is a lame analysis because it ignores different packs of people (hence the term 'granular' the data is like little bunches of people). Brief Answer: yes, in the generally healthy majority they are over the counter Detailed Answer: because they are generally safe. The trick is, here the bar is set really low. They have to be safe as aspirin. Aspirin is harsher on the stomach. There is about a 10% risk of stomach irritaiton with regular use of any of them but tylenol. Aspirin is harsher on the kidney. But basically, it's either zero or 100% risk....not on heart failure fluid pills?... no dialysis?... zero. And.... they all can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Slightly. If used daily. They also help increase muscle mass in weight lifting older people.