ASA - NSAID interaction

[cbs3143]

If some of you are taking ASA or have family members taking ASA for it's platelet inhibition properties, here is an article that may be important to you. Taking NSAIDs at the same time or even within a few hours of ASA, especially enteric coated tablets could interfere with the ASA's platelet inhibition.

I had heard rumors about this potentially hazardous interaction, but this is the first article I've seen on the subject. I just thought that I'd pass this along since I had actually found a reference for it.

http://www.oldetymepharmacy.com/articles/011a.html

Here is an article from the Legion Magazine that addresses the same subject.

Ibuprofen And ASA Don't Mix

A study investigating the possibility of drug interactions when ASA and Ibuprofen are taken at the same time has found that the heart-protecting benefits of one drug are largely cancelled out by the other.

Patients often take acetylsalicylic acid, or ASA, pills such as Aspirin, which act as a blood thinner, to prevent clots that can cause heart attacks. Ibuprofen, found in Motrin and Advil, is an anti-inflammatory drug often used for arthritis. Taking both drugs at once could cause ASA to lose its potency as a blood thinner.

"We found a common dose of Ibuprofen interfered with the ability of Aspirin to afford cardio protection," said University of Pennsylvania pharmacologist Dr. Garret Fitzgerald.

The study found that both medications attack two different versions of the same clotting enzyme, cyclooxygenase-1. When the drugs are taken together Ibuprofen blocks ASA from doing its job of protecting against blood clots.

The findings have yet to be directly observed in human test subjects, only in lab test tube results. However, those dependent on the blood thinning properties of ASA might want to think twice about reaching for a product containing Ibuprofen to ease their aches and pains.

Montreal cardiologist Dr. Gordon Crelinsten says he will take the findings into account when prescribing Aspirin to heart patients. "I would inform them of the potential interaction between Ibuprofen and Aspirin and suggest they try another drug that the interaction has not been demonstrated in," said Crelinsten.

An alternative is taking medication such as Tylenol that contains acetaminophen. The study found that products containing the ingredient did not work against ASA.

While it hasn't been proven by human trials yet, it is worth being aware of, and offsetting doses if possible.

Chuck

[live4today, RN]

i won't be taking either asa or nsaids since i'm highly extremely without a shadow of a doubt allergic to them both! thanks for posting that information for those who can. :kiss