Ibuprofen for colds and flu

When you catch a cold or flu virus, the disease puts you to bed, the outside world ceases to exist because your nose is running, you are tormented by incessant sneezing, you are shivering, your head is hurting, your throat is sore, and your joints are aching. Only one thought comes to mind: what to take to ease your condition. Nowadays, for various symptoms associated with fever and pain, doctors prescribe ibuprofen, but we are more accustomed to aspirin. So, can you take ibuprofen when you have a cold?

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Indications Ibuprofen for colds and flu

Ibuprofen is on the WHO list of essential medicines. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug intended to relieve pain, fever, and inflammation. Indications for its use include headaches, menstrual pain, toothache, pain in the joints, muscles, back, and neuralgia. For colds and flu, it is prescribed to relieve feverish conditions, it blocks the inflammatory process, reduces temperature, and eliminates pain.

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Release form

Ibuprofen exists in forms such as tablets, suspensions, gels, ointments, rectal suppositories. The latter, like suspensions, are convenient for use by children. During colds, tablets are used for adults.

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Pharmacodynamics

Ibuprofen acts by inhibiting prostaglandins, physiologically active substances that increase the sensitivity of receptors to pain mediators at the central and peripheral levels. Its antipyretic effect is based on the removal of excitation of the center responsible for body thermoregulation, and begins half an hour after use, and the peak of action is reached after 3 hours. The anti-inflammatory effect occurs due to the inhibition of a group of enzymes (cyclooxygenases) involved in the synthesis of prostanoids. This leads to a decrease in the intensity of the inflammatory process. There is evidence that ibuprofen is able to stimulate the formation of interferon, which means it has an immunomodulatory property.

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Pharmacokinetics

Once ingested, 80% of the drug is absorbed in the stomach. When taken on an empty stomach, the active substance is maximally concentrated in the blood after 45 minutes, and after a meal - after 1.5-2.5 hours. It is metabolized mainly in the liver, after which 60% of it turns into an active form. Most of the substance is excreted from the body by the kidneys, an insignificant part - with bile. The complete excretion period is 24 hours.

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Dosing and administration

The tablet preparation is prescribed for a short course to adults and children over 12 years old at a dose of 600 mg (3 pcs.) per day, but not more than 1200 mg. The tablet is taken after meals and washed down with a sufficient amount of water, the next one - after 4-6 hours. The course is usually 5 days. The method of using the product in suspension intended for children depends on their body weight and age. How in this case to take ibuprofen for a cold? Before use, the bottle must be shaken to make the composition homogeneous. For infants 3-6 months weighing 5-7.6 kg, 2.5 ml of the drug is recommended, if necessary, repeat the dose again, but not earlier than after 6 hours. In the period of six months to a year, the frequency of administration can be increased to 3-4 times. Subsequently, the frequency is 3 times, and the dose at 1-3 years (weight 10-15 kg) is 5 ml, 4-6 years (16-20 kg) - 7.5 ml, 7-9 years (21-29 kg) - 10 ml, 10-12 years (30-40 kg) - 15 ml.

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Use Ibuprofen for colds and flu during pregnancy

Ibuprofen is approved for the treatment of colds and flu in the first two trimesters of pregnancy with the consent of a doctor, but in the third trimester it is highly undesirable. In the practice of gynecologists there have been cases of mild heart defects in the child, as well as when taking the drug a month before delivery caused kidney failure in the fetus. A safer alternative for pregnant women is paracetamol: it has a less pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, but it is effective in relieving pain and reducing temperature.

Contraindications

An obstacle to treatment with ibuprofen may be individual sensitivity either to it or to the excipients present in its composition. Other contraindications for use include:

• combination of bronchial asthma with nasal polyposis;
• ulcer of the digestive organs during exacerbation, ulcerative colitis;
• hyperkalemia;
• renal failure;
• tendency to bleeding, poor blood clotting;
• fructose intolerance;
• infancy up to 3 months.

It requires caution when used by hypertensive patients, patients with gastritis, nephrotic syndrome, with long-term use of other NSAIDs, and in suspension by diabetics, since it contains sugar.

Side effects Ibuprofen for colds and flu

In some cases, ibuprofen can cause side effects such as nausea, heartburn, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, and hepatitis. Central nervous system disorders are also possible: headache, insomnia, anxiety. Tinnitus, blurred vision, increased sweating, increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure may occur. An allergic reaction is possible.

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Overdose

A single dose of the drug that can lead to an overdose is 400 mg. This can manifest itself in the form of nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, excessive drowsiness or nervous overexcitement, and even convulsions. In laboratory indicators, this will be evidenced by a violation of blood clotting, an increase in potassium. Treatment of an overdose is carried out symptomatically, as well as in the control of vital functions of the body.

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Interactions with other drugs

Ibuprofen should not be used with other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as side effects may increase. Interaction with diuretics is also unfavorable - renal failure may develop. Simultaneous use with vasodilators reduces the effect of the latter, and with hypoglycemic drugs, including insulin, enhances their effect. Caffeine increases the analgesic property of ibuprofen.

Storage conditions

The ideal storage conditions for the drug are a dark place with an air temperature no higher than 25 ⁰ C. It should be inaccessible to children.

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Shelf life

The drug has a shelf life of 3 years. As for the suspension, in its unsealed form it is suitable for six months.

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Ibuprofen or paracetamol for colds? Which is better?

Both analgesics can be used for colds and even simultaneously for a short period. Ibuprofen starts to act faster and its effect lasts longer. Paracetamol, on the other hand, has fewer side effects and is less harmful to the gastric mucosa. Paracetamol does not have an anti-inflammatory effect, so for colds characterized by inflammation in the nasopharynx and trachea, ibuprofen is more suitable. For pregnant and lactating women, paracetamol is preferable if it is impossible to do without them.

Reviews

People's reviews show a high level of trust in this drug, its effectiveness in eliminating unpleasant symptoms of colds and flu is noted. It reduces the temperature quite quickly, it is recommended for use in children in case of an increase in body temperature after vaccination.