Contents:
- Medical Video: Ibuprofen: Important Warnings and Precautions
- Effects of taking ibuprofen and alcohol
- 1. Stomach and stomach bleeding
- 2. Kidney damage
- 3. Liver damage
- 4. Not alert
Medical Video: Ibuprofen: Important Warnings and Precautions
Ibuprofen is an over-the-counter drug belonging to a group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ibuprofen is often used to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and relieve fever. Ibuprofen is included as safe for consumption if it is recommended. However, if you mix ibuprofen and alcohol together, the effect is certainly harmful to your health.
Effects of taking ibuprofen and alcohol
Alcohol can interfere with the work of some drugs, so the medicine does not work. Alcohol can also aggravate the side effects of certain drugs. Well, mixing ibuprofen and alcohol will cause drug interactions. For example, you drink alcohol after taking ibuprofen or take ibuprofen with alcohol.
Although it is generally safe to take ibuprofen and alcohol, it is strongly recommended that you avoid drinking alcohol while taking any medication, especially ibuprofen.
If you use ibuprofen for long-term treatment, consult your doctor before you want to drink alcohol. The doctor will tell you if you can drink alcohol based on your condition.
If you only take ibuprofen occasionally, it may be safe for you to drink enough alcohol. However, you need to know that drinking alcohol once while taking ibuprofen medicine can cause the following things.
1. Stomach and stomach bleeding
A study of 1,224 participants showed that taking ibuprofen regularly increases the risk of stomach and intestinal bleeding in people who also drink alcohol. Because, ibuprofen risks injuring the stomach and intestines, as well as alcohol. While people who drink alcohol but only consume a few times ibuprofen do not have this increased risk.
If you have signs of a stomach problem like the one below, contact your doctor immediately.
- Prolonged abdominal pain
- Black and hard stool
- Vomiting blood with vomit looks like coffee powder
2. Kidney damage
Taking long-term ibuprofen can damage your kidneys, and drinking alcohol can also harm the kidneys. So, a combination of ibuprofen and alcohol drugs simultaneously will increase the risk of kidney problems.
Symptoms of kidney problems can include:
- Limp body
- Swelling, especially in the hands, feet or ankles
- Hard to breathe
3. Liver damage
Taking ibuprofen and alcohol can cause liver damage, although ibuprofen is usually safe if taken in the recommended dosage and in a short time, but the risk of liver damage can increase in people taking ibuprofen in the long term.
An increase in enzymes in the liver, which indicates damage to liver cells, can occur in up to 15 percent of patients who often consume ibuprofen.
Taking ibuprofen and alcohol together increases the possibility of liver damage. Because alcohol activates an enzyme that makes ibuprofen more toxic than usual.
Over time, the use of ibuprofen and alcohol can cause liver diseases such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, jaundice, and liver failure.
4. Not alert
Ibuprofen causes your pain to disappear, which can make you relax. Alcohol can also make you relax. Both can increase your risk such as losing control, slowing down the body's reaction, and falling asleep.
Therefore, taking ibuprofen and alcohol is certainly dangerous if afterwards you drive, operate machinery or heavy equipment, or exercise that is vulnerable to injury.
