Ibuprofen

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of ibuprofen tablets and other treatment options before deciding to use ibuprofen. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals (see WARNINGS ). Ibuprofen tablets are indicated for relief of the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Ibuprofen tablets are indicated for relief of mild to moderate pain. Ibuprofen tablets are also indicated for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. Controlled clinical trials to establish the safety and effectiveness of ibuprofen tablets in children have not been conducted.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of ibuprofen tablets and other treatment options before deciding to use ibuprofen tablets. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals (see WARNINGS ). After observing the response to initial therapy with ibuprofen tablets, the dose and frequency should be adjusted to suit an individual patient’s needs. Do not exceed 3200 mg total daily dose. If gastrointestinal complaints occur, administer ibuprofen tablets with meals or milk. Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, including flare-ups of chronic disease: Suggested Dosage: 1200 mg to 3200 mg daily (300 mg, 400 mg, 600 mg or 800 mg tid or qid). Individual patients may show a better response to 3200 mg daily, as compared with 2400 mg, although in well-controlled clinical trials patients on 3200 mg did not show a better mean response in terms of efficacy. Therefore, when treating patients with 3200 mg/day, the physician should observe sufficient increased clinical benefits to offset potential increased risk. The dose should be tailored to each patient, and may be lowered or raised depending on the severity of symptoms either at time of initiating drug therapy or as the patient responds or fails to respond. In general, patients with rheumatoid arthritis seem to require higher doses of ibuprofen tablets than do patients with osteoarthritis. The smallest dose of ibuprofen tablets that yields acceptable control should be employed. A linear blood level dose response relationship exists with single doses up to 300 mg (See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY for effects of food on rate of absorption). The availability of three tablet strengths facilitates dosage adjustment. In chronic conditions, a therapeutic response to therapy with ibuprofen tablets is sometimes seen in a few days to a week but most often is observed by two weeks. After a satisfactory response has been achieved, the patient’s dose should be reviewed and adjusted as required. Mild to moderate pain: 400 mg every 4 to 6 hours as necessary for relief of pain. In controlled analgesic clinical trials, doses of ibuprofen tablets greater than 400 mg were no more effective than the 400 mg dose. Dysmenorrhea For the treatment of dysmenorrhea, beginning with the earliest onset of such pain, ibuprofen tablets should be given in a dose of 400 mg every 4 hours as necessary for the relief of pain.

WARNINGS CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events Clinical trials of several COX-2 selective and nonselective NSAIDs of up to three years duration have shown an increased risk of serious cardiovascular (CV) thrombotic events, including myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, which can be fatal. Based on available data, it is unclear that the risk for CV thrombotic events is similar for all NSAIDs. The relative increase in serious CV thrombotic events over baseline conferred by NSAID use appears to be similar in those with and without known CV disease or risk factors for CV disease. However, patients with known CV disease or risk factors had a higher absolute incidence of excess serious CV thrombotic events, due to their increased baseline rate. Some observational studies found that this increased risk of serious CV thrombotic events began as early as the first weeks of treatment. The increase in CV thrombotic risk has been observed most consistently at higher doses. To minimize the potential risk for an adverse CV event in NSAID-treated patients, use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible. Physicians and patients should remain alert for the development of such events, throughout the entire treatment course, even in the absence of previous CV symptoms. Patients should be informed about the symptoms of serious CV events and the steps to take if they occur. There is no consistent evidence that concurrent use of aspirin mitigates the increased risk of serious CV thrombotic events associated with NSAID use. The concurrent use of aspirin and an NSAID, such as ibuprofen, increases the risk of serious gastrointestinal (GI) events [see WARNINGS ] . Status Post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery Two large, controlled clinical trials of a COX-2 selective NSAID for the treatment of pain in the first 10 to 14 days following CABG surgery found an increased incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke. NSAIDs are contraindicated in the setting of CABG [see CONTRAINDICATIONS ]. Post-MI Patients Observational studies conducted in the Danish National Registry have demonstrated that patients treated with NSAIDs in the post-MI period were at increased risk of reinfarction, CV-related death, and all-cause mortality beginning in the first week of treatment. In this same cohort, the incidence of death in the first year post MI was 20 per 100 person years in NSAID-treated patients compared to 12 per 100 person years in non-NSAID exposed patients. Although the absolute rate of death declined somewhat after the first year post-MI, the increased relative risk of death in NSAID users persisted over at least the next four years of follow-up. Avoid the use of Ibuprofen tablets in patients with a recent MI unless the benefits are expected to outweigh the risk of recurrent CV thrombotic events. If Ibuprofen tablets are used in patients with a recent MI, monitor patients for signs of cardiac ischemia . Hypertension NSAIDs including ibuprofen tablets, can lead to onset of new hypertension or worsening of pre-existing hypertension, either of which may contribute to the increased incidence of CV events. Patients taking thiazides or loop diuretics may have impaired response to these therapies when taking NSAIDs. NSAIDs, including ibuprofen tablets, should be used with caution in patients with hypertension. Blood pressure (BP) should be monitored closely during the initiation of NSAID treatment and throughout the course of therapy. Heart Failure and Edema The Coxib and traditional NSAID Trialists’ Collaboration meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials demonstrated an approximately two-fold increase in hospitalizations for heart failure in COX-2 selective-treated patients and nonselective NSAID-treated patients compared to placebo-treated patients. In a Danish National Registry study of patients with heart failure, NSAID use increased the risk of MI, hospitalization for heart failure, and death. Additionally, fluid…

CONTRAINDICATIONS Ibuprofen tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to ibuprofen. Ibuprofen tablets should not be given to patients who have experienced asthma, urticaria, or allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs. Severe, rarely fatal, anaphylactic- like reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients (see WARNINGS , Anaphylactoid Reactions , and PRECAUTIONS , Preexisting Asthma ). Ibuprofen tablets are contraindicated in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery (see WARNINGS ).

ADVERSE REACTIONS The most frequent type of adverse reaction occurring with ibuprofen tablets is gastrointestinal. In controlled clinical trials the percentage of patients reporting one or more gastrointestinal complaints ranged from 4% to 16%. In controlled studies when ibuprofen tablets were compared to aspirin and indomethacin in equally effective doses, the overall incidence of gastrointestinal complaints was about half that seen in either the aspirin- or indomethacin-treated patients. Adverse reactions observed during controlled clinical trials at an incidence greater than 1% are listed in the table. Those reactions listed in Column one encompass observations in approximately 3,000 patients. More than 500 of these patients were treated for periods of at least 54 weeks. Still other reactions occurring less frequently than 1 in 100 were reported in controlled clinical trials and from marketing experience. These reactions have been divided into two categories: Column two of the table lists reactions with therapy with ibuprofen tablets where the probability of a causal relationship exists: for the reactions in Column three, a causal relationship with ibuprofen tablets has not been established. Reported side effects were higher at doses of 3200 mg/day than at doses of 2400 mg or less per day in clinical trials of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The increases in incidence were slight and still within the ranges reported in the table. Incidence Greater Than 1% (but less than 3%) Probable Causal Relationship Reactions occurring in 3% to 9% of patients treated with ibuprofen tablets. (Those reactions occurring in less than 3% of the patients are unmarked.) Precise Incidence Unknown (but less than 1%) Probable Causal Relationship Reactions are classified under “Probable Causal Relationship (PCR)” if there has been one positive rechallenge or if three or more cases occur which might be causally related. Reactions are classified under “Causal Relationship Unknown” if seven or more events have been reported but the criteria for PCR have not been met. Precise Incidence Unknown (but less than 1%) Causal Relationship Unknown GASTROINTESTINAL Nausea , epigastric pain , heartburn , diarrhea, abdominal distress, nausea and vomiting, indigestion, constipation, abdominal cramps or Pain, fullness of GI tract (bloating and flatulence) Gastric or duodenal ulcer with bleeding and/or perforation, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, melena, gastritis, hepatitis, jaundice, abnormal liver function tests; pancreatitis . CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM Dizziness , headache, nervousness Depression, insomnia, confusion, emotional liability, somnolence, aseptic meningitis with fever and coma (see PRECAUTIONS ) Paresthesias, hallucinations, dream abnormalities, pseudotumor cerebri DERMATOLOGIC Rash (including maculopapular type), pruritus Vesiculobullous eruptions, urticaria, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, alopecia Toxic epidermal necrolysis, photoallergic skin reactions SPECIAL SENSES Tinnitus Hearing loss, amblyopia (blurred| and/or diminished vision, scotomata and/or changes in color vision) (see PRECAUTIONS ) Conjunctivitis, diplopia, optic neuritis, cataracts HEMATOLOGIC Neutropenia, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia (sometimes Coombs positive), thrombocytopenia with or without purpura, eosinophilia, decreases in hemoglobin and hematocrit (see PRECAUTIONS ) Bleeding episodes (e.g., epistaxis, menorrhagia) METABOLIC/ENDOCRINE Decreased appetite . Gynecomastia, hypoglycemic reaction, acidosis CARDIOVASCULAR Edema, fluid retention (generally responds promptly to drug discontinuation) (see PRECAUTIONS ) Congestive heart failure in patients with marginal cardiac function, elevated blood pressure, palpitations Arrhythmias (sinus tachycardia, sinus bradycardia) ALLERGIC Syndrome of abdominal pain, fever, chills, nausea and vomiting; anaphylaxis; bronchospasm (see CONTRAINDICATIONS ) Serum sickness, lupus erythematosus syndrome. Henoch-Sc…