Ibuprofen has been known to negatively impact other blood pressure medications, particularly ace inhibitors such as Vasotec or Lotensin, or beta-blockers like Lopressor. The combination of ibuprofen with these drugs has been known to cause heartburn, upset stomach and even ulcers.
Do not take ibuprofen by mouth or apply it to your skin if you: have ever had an allergic reaction or symptoms like wheezing, runny nose or skin reactions after taking aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen. are pregnant.
However, one study of 13 weeks found use of combined paracetamol/ibuprofen may increase the risk of bleeding over and above that associated with the individual drugs, suggesting caution should apply to long-term use.
Paracetamol for children is a safe painkiller to give children alongside ibuprofen. However, do not give ibuprofen and paracetamol at the same time. You need to give these medicines 1 at a time (unless your child's doctor or nurse gives you different instructions).
Taking ibuprofen with other painkillers
It's safe to take ibuprofen with paracetamol or codeine. But do not take ibuprofen with similar painkillers like aspirin or naproxen without talking to a pharmacist or doctor.
The MH verdict: ibuprofen wins!
An easy pill to swallow for the one in three who don't know the difference anyway, but ibuprofen's anti-inflammatory firepower blows paracetamol out of the pharmacy. Just use the lowest effective dose, and use sparingly. You can tough out the odd case of DOMS.
Giving paracetamol with other painkillers
Ibuprofen is the only safe painkiller to give children alongside paracetamol. However, do not give paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time. You need to give these medicines 1 at a time (unless your child's doctor or nurse gives you different instructions).
Ibuprofen for adults (Nurofen)
Other brand names: Brufen, Calprofen, Fenbid, Ibugel, Ibuleve. Find out how ibuprofen treats pain and swelling (inflammation), and how to take it.
Your doctor or pharmacist may advise that you take ibuprofen with paracetamol for additional pain relief. Paracetamol is not an NSAID and works differently to ibuprofen. If you take ibuprofen and paracetamol together, remember not to exceed the recommended daily doses for each pain reliever.
Naproxen. Another anti-inflammatory drug, which works much like ibuprofen. Some studies show this may be a better choice than ibuprofen for people at risk for heart disease.
Nonprescription pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen (Aleve, others) can damage your liver, especially if taken frequently or combined with alcohol.
You shouldn't take ibuprofen if you: have a history of a strong, unpleasant reaction (hypersensitivity) to aspirin or other NSAIDs. have a current or recent stomach ulcer, or you have had one in the past. have severe heart failure.
In the journals
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is often the pain reliever of choice for people with high blood pressure (hypertension) because most other options are types of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), which can raise blood pressure.
Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
This may cause your blood pressure to rise even higher, putting greater stress on your heart and kidneys. NSAIDs can also raise your risk for heart attack or stroke, especially in higher doses. Common NSAIDs that can raise blood pressure include: Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
Aspirin does not elevate blood pressure. Among nonselective NSAIDs, ibuprofen increases the risk of hypertension and stroke. Diclofenac does not increase the risk of hypertension, but does increase the risk of stroke. Naproxen (Naprosyn) does not increase the risk of hypertension or stroke.
The main difference between the two medications is that ibuprofen reduces inflammation, whereas paracetamol does not.
Indeed, most packets of Nurofen and ibuprofen tablets contain the exact same dose of the same active chemical, so are virtually the same product but at a hefty price difference. Both products are effective anti-inflammatory agents, offer relief for mild to moderate pain and are antipyretic (fever reducing).
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It works by reducing inflammation and pain.
Is it safe to give paracetamol and ibuprofen together at the same time? The quick answer is yes, you can. Paracetamol and ibuprofen do not react with each other to harm your child.
Wait at least 4 hours between doses.
The recommended dose (for people aged 12–65 years) is one tablet every 8 hours as necessary, to a maximum of three tablets per 24 hours – a total of 1500 mg of paracetamol and 600 mg of ibuprofen per day.
Naproxen stays active in your body for longer than ibuprofen. This is because it is longer acting. Naproxen can last up to 12 hours. So, to get full 24-hour coverage, you'd only need to take naproxen twice a day (about every 12 hours).
Co-codamol is much less strong than codeine on its own, but it's stronger than ibuprofen, aspirin and paracetamol and shouldn't be used for more than 3 days. Co-codamol is the best pain relief for moderate to severe pain, including muscular pain, migraines and pain following surgery.
The primary difference is that ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), meaning that it treats inflammation. Paracetamol does not. For example, paracetamol can be taken to treat the pain of arthritis, but it will not treat the inflammation which is causing the pain.