The FDA has issued a MedWatch alert notifying consumers and healthcare professionals that taking ibuprofen for pain relief may interfere with the benefits of aspirin taken for heart disease. It advises that these two drugs should be taken at different times to avoid such an interaction.
In the note to health professionals the FDA advises:
Counseling patients about the appropriate timing of ibuprofen dosing if they are also taking aspirin for cardioprotective effects. With occasional use of ibuprofen, there is likely to be minimal risk from any attenuation of the antiplatelet effect of low dose aspirin, because of the long-lasting effect of aspirin on platelets. Patients who use immediate release aspirin (not enteric coated) and take a single dose of ibuprofen 400 mg should dose the ibuprofen at least 30 minutes or longer after aspirin ingestion, or more than 8 hours before aspirin ingestion to avoid attenuation of aspirin's effect. Recommendations about the timing of concomitant use of ibuprofen and enteric-coated low dose aspirin cannot be made based upon available data. Other nonselective OTC NSAIDs should be viewed as having the potential to interfere with the antiplatelet effect of low-dose aspirin unless proven otherwise. Prescribing analgesics that do not interfere with the antiplatelet effect of low dose aspirin for high risk populations.Reference'New information for healthcare professionals concomitant use of ibuprofen and aspirin'.
MedWatch alert