Ibuprofen for fever

The temperature rises due to the activation of pyrogens, substances produced in response to toxins. This is how the body turns on its defenses to fight foreign antigens. Bringing down the temperature when it is not too high means suppressing the immune response. A strong increase definitely requires intervention. There are enough products on the pharmaceutical market designed for this. But can you use ibuprofen for a fever and does it bring it down?

Ibuprofen is indicated and approved by the FDA for use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and rheumatoid disorders. The discovery of ibuprofen was prompted by the search for an alternative non-corticosteroid treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Stuart Adams OBE was the researcher whose work led to the discovery of the drug. Originally patented by Dr. Adams and John Nicholson as 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propionic acid, ibuprofen became and remains one of the most widely used NSAIDs in the world.[ 1 ]

Indications Ibuprofen for fever

Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. It is one of the most common drugs used to relieve symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections, colds and flu. It is also indicated for the relief of headaches, toothaches, joint pain, back pain and muscle pain that occurs with soft tissue injury. [ 2 ]

At what temperature is it advisable to use it? Indicators above 38º-39ºС are a clear sign to resort to an antipyretic. If you have a cold without a fever or 37ºС, you can take ibuprofen if you have a headache, joint pain, or a tendency to cramps. [ 3 ], [ 4 ]

Ibuprofen is an FDA-approved antipyretic used to reduce fever in both adults and children. The use of NSAIDs in the treatment of fever is much more common in pediatric patients, and much modern research is focused on establishing the greater effectiveness of ibuprofen in treating fever.[ 5 ]

Release form

Ibuprofen comes in different forms:

• effervescent tablets taken as a solution;
• regular, film-coated;
• capsules;
• syrup;
• suspensions;
• suppositories - prescribed for children from 3 months to 2 years old.

Pharmacodynamics

Ibuprofen is one of the most commonly used NSAIDs and a potent inhibitor of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis, which can treat various types of pain and has anti-inflammatory activity.[ 6 ] The S+ enantiomer has most of the pharmacological activity of ibuprofen and similarly inhibits COX1 and COX2 activity.[ 7 ]

The drug is based on a derivative of propionic acid, which inhibits the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are inflammation mediators. Ibuprofen acts at the central and peripheral levels, relieving pain, reducing inflammation, and lowering temperature.

It is rapidly absorbed and distributed throughout the body within 10-15 minutes after administration. The time of maximum serum concentrations for ibuprofen was 54.05 minutes, the time of maximum temperature reduction was 183 minutes. [ 8 ] It is completely excreted by the kidneys. [ 9 ]

Dosing and administration

When taking ibuprofen by adults, it is necessary to adhere to the dosage provided by the instructions, strive for the minimum effective. Do not ignore the contraindications of the drug. In elderly people, side effects may be more frequent than in young people.

Doses of ibuprofen directly depend on the patient's age and body weight. For example, for children over 20 kg, the drug is used at a rate of 20-30 mg per kilogram of weight, a repeat dose is possible only after 6 hours.

Adults and children weighing more than 30 kg are prescribed 200-400 mg every 4-6 hours. The duration of the course at a temperature is 3 days.

Application for children

For children ages 3 months to 12 years, ibuprofen comes as a liquid syrup. For children ages 7 and older, ibuprofen is available as tablets, capsules, and granules that you dissolve in water to make a drink.

Children are given ibuprofen to reduce their temperature starting from 3 months of age, but each form of the drug has its own recommendations regarding this. Thus, tablets are recommended only from the age of six. Suppositories and syrups can be used for children after 3 months in doses and at intervals determined by the pediatrician. [ 18 ]

Ibuprofen syrup dosage for children

Age	How many?	How often?
From 3 to 5 months (weighing more than 5 kg)	2.5 ml	Max 3 times in 24 hours
From 6 to 11 months	2.5 ml	Max 3-4 times a day
From 1 to 3 years	5 ml	Max 3 times in 24 hours
From 4 to 6 years old	7.5 ml	Max 3 times in 24 hours
From 7 to 9 years old	10 ml	Max 3 times in 24 hours
From 10 to 11 years old	15 ml	Max 3 times in 24 hours
From 12 to 17 years old	From 15 to 20 ml	Max 3-4 times a day

Ibuprofen tablet dosages for children

Age	How many	How often
From 7 to 9 years old	200 mg	Max 3 times in 24 hours
From 10 to 11 years old	From 200 to 300 mg	Max 3 times in 24 hours
From 12 to 17 years old	From 200 to 400 mg	Max 3 times in 24 hours

If you give your child 1 extra dose of ibuprofen by mistake, wait at least 12 hours before giving him or her the next dose.

If ibuprofen does not reduce the child's temperature, you need to resort to other antipyretic drugs, such as paracetamol.

Use Ibuprofen for fever during pregnancy

The use of ibuprofen, like other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, is associated with the risk of miscarriage, the development of heart defects in the child, and other disorders.

It is best to avoid taking ibuprofen during the first 30 weeks of pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the potential risks to your unborn baby. This is because taking ibuprofen during the first 30 weeks of pregnancy may lead to an increased risk of complications, including miscarriage.

Ibuprofen should not be used if you are 30 weeks pregnant or more unless advised to do so by your doctor. This is because taking ibuprofen at this stage of pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of complications, including heart problems in your baby and decreased amniotic fluid.[ 10 ]

Studies have found low levels of ibuprofen in breast milk, suggesting that it is unlikely to cause any adverse effects on the breastfed infant.

Contraindications

Ibuprofen is not prescribed in case of hypersensitivity to its components, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, blood clotting disorders, intestinal inflammation. It is also contraindicated in case of severe cardiac, renal or hepatic insufficiency.

Do not give ibuprofen for chickenpox unless advised to do so by your doctor - it may cause a severe allergic skin reaction.[ 11 ]

Side effects Ibuprofen for fever

Gastrointestinal bleeding is a well-known side effect of ibuprofen use and may result in gastritis, ulceration, hemorrhage, or perforation. Inhibition of COX isoforms by ibuprofen results in a decrease in prostaglandins, which play a role in the secretion of gastroprotective mucus.[ 12 ]

Reduced kidney function is also a concern with ibuprofen use, as recent observations have shown that NSAIDs have nephrotoxic properties even in patients without renal impairment.[ 13 ] Dehydration is a common risk factor for ibuprofen-induced kidney injury, and therefore many studies have been conducted on NSAIDs and kidney function in groups more vulnerable to dehydration, such as children with underlying kidney disease or athletes.[ 14 ]

Rash is also a known side effect of ibuprofen use, usually due to drug hypersensitivity or skin irritation from topical application. Rash may also be part of a more serious syndrome caused by ibuprofen use, such as anaphylaxis or drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome (DRESS). In 2016, a rare case of DRESS syndrome was reported, which causes skin, liver, and hematological abnormalities with ibuprofen use in a pediatric patient. DRESS syndrome is known to be more common with anticonvulsants, sulfa derivatives, and antimicrobials, and the number of known cases associated with ibuprofen is limited. The etiology of DRESS syndrome is also unknown, with current theories centering on hypersensitivity to toxic metabolites or pathology involving herpesvirus-6. [ 15 ] There have been other cases of similar severe reactions in the literature involving ibuprofen or other NSAIDs; another case report in 2014 detailed a patient who developed drug-induced liver injury with erythema multiforme after taking an over-the-counter product containing ibuprofen for 20 days.[ 16 ]

The association between hypertension and NSAID use has been previously investigated. A cross-sectional study of the elderly population in 1993 found that NSAID use was an independent risk factor for hypertension in this group.[ 17 ]

Analogues

Paracetamol is safer for the body, but no less effective in eliminating fever. As an analgesic and antipyretic, it is less toxic to the body. Although it has a weak anti-inflammatory effect, it copes well with fever and also reduces the pain threshold.

In addition to paracetamol and ibuprofen, you can bring down the temperature with aspirin, nurofen, analgin, voltaren. Other analogues of the drug are ibufen, dolgit, ipren, ibuprom.

Reviews

According to reviews from patients who use ibuprofen during illness, it really does alleviate the painful condition and reduce high temperature. Doctors consider it one of the most effective and researched modern medicinal analgesics.