New showed that nearly 15% of adult ibuprofen users exceeded the maximum recommended dose of ibuprofen or other NSAIDs in a 1-week period.
An online study analyzed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) use with a 1-week diary study in included 1,326 ibuprofen users. The vast majority (90%) of ibuprofen use was with over-the-counter (OTC) agents.
Of the participants, 37% took non-ibuprofen NSAID; the rest took ibuprofen. Those that exceeded the recommended daily NSAID limits included 11% on ibuprofen and 4% on other NSAIDs. This occurred an average of 9.1% of NSAID usage days.
Those with excessive daily use were more likely to be male, with ongoing pain, poor physical function, daily smoking, and the attitude of "choosing my own dose" and not starting with the lowest dose. They also had poor knowledge of the recommended one-time and 24-hour dose limits.
Educating consumers about OTC NSAIDs and their dosing directions could reduce excessive dosing and potential toxicity.
, is the director of clinical rheumatology at the Baylor Research Institute and a professor of medicine and rheumatology at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. He is the executive editor of . A version of this article first appeared on RheumNow, a news, information and commentary site dedicated to the field of rheumatology. Register to receive their free rheumatology newsletter.
Disclosures
Cush disclosed no relevant relationships with industry.
Primary Source
Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety
Kaufman, DW et al "Exceeding the daily dosing limit of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs among ibuprofen users" Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2018; DOI:10.1002/pds.4391.