Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSafety of Aspirin With IbuprofenFDA RecommendationsTaking Aspirin DailyOther Medications
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Safety of Aspirin With Ibuprofen
FDA Recommendations
Taking Aspirin Daily
Other Medications
Aspirin and ibuprofen are not the same medication. You should know how each medication works before takingaspirinand ibuprofen together.
This article will go over whether it is safe to take aspirin and ibuprofen at the same time, how to safely take these medications, and what you can take besides aspirin and ibuprofen to manage your symptoms.
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Is It Safe to Take Aspirin and Ibuprofen Together?
Aspirin is ablood thinner. Your healthcare provider may want you to take it to help with conditions that involveblood clots(which happen when the blood clumps together). For example, taking aspirin may help protect some people againstheart attacksandstrokes.
Ibuprofen (sold under the brand names Motrin andAdvil) is anon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAID) that helps with pain.
However, ibuprofen can change the blood-thinning (or anti-clotting) effect of low-dose aspirin.
Here are a few key points to know about taking aspirin and ibuprofen at the same time.
Taking Low-Dose Aspirin With NSAIDs
FDA Recommendations for Mixing Ibuprofen and Aspirin
In general, theFood and Drug Administration(FDA) recommends that you wait at least 8 hours after you take ibuprofen to take aspirin. If you take aspirin first, wait at least 30 minutes before you take a dose of ibuprofen.
It’s important to know that the FDA recommendations for mixing ibuprofen and aspirin only focus on low-dose aspirin.
Ibuprofen’s ability to affect the blood-thinning effects of coated aspirin or larger doses of aspirin is not known.
To be on the safe side, always talk to your provider or a pharmacist before taking any OTC pain medications if you’re already taking aspirin.
If you think you have mixed any medications that should not be used together or have taken a dose of a medication that is too much, call Poison Control, your provider, or your pharmacist.
What Happens if You Take Aspirin Daily?
Healthcare providers may recommend adaily low dose of aspirinto help reduce the risk of certain heart conditions. However, aspirin can cause side effects likestomach upsetand bleeding in the body that can be serious.
Daily aspirin is sometimes recommended for people who are between the ages of 40 and 70 years old who:
Benefits and Risks of Aspirin Therapy
What Can I Take Besides Ibuprofen and Aspirin?
There are other OTC painkillers you might be able to take besides ibuprofen and/or aspirin. One of the most common is acetaminophen, which is sold under the brand name Tylenol.
You should ask your provider what they recommend as an alternative, as well as find out what dose and dosing schedule they recommend to treat your symptoms.
Can I Mix Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen?Ibuprofen and acetaminophen (also sold under the brand name Tylenol) can be mixed.One study showed that whenibuprofen and acetaminophenare mixed in a formula called Maxigesic, it provided better pain relief for people who had oral surgery compared to using either ibuprofen or acetaminophen alone.
Can I Mix Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen?
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen (also sold under the brand name Tylenol) can be mixed.One study showed that whenibuprofen and acetaminophenare mixed in a formula called Maxigesic, it provided better pain relief for people who had oral surgery compared to using either ibuprofen or acetaminophen alone.
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen (also sold under the brand name Tylenol) can be mixed.
One study showed that whenibuprofen and acetaminophenare mixed in a formula called Maxigesic, it provided better pain relief for people who had oral surgery compared to using either ibuprofen or acetaminophen alone.
If you need more pain control than you can get from OTC products, talk to your provider. They might be able to offer a specific recommendation or prescribe something stronger.
How Long Does Aspirin Stay In Your System?
Summary
Your provider may want you to take aspirin every day toprevent certain conditionsrelated to your blood clotting. However, keep in mind that if you take ibuprofen at the same time, it can affect aspirin’s ability to do its job to protect you from blood clotting problems.
Ask your provider or pharmacist about alternative medications. For example, you might be able to take Tylenol with ibuprofen to manage your symptoms.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Concomitant use of ibuprofen and aspirin: Potential for attenuation of the antiplatelet effect of aspirin.American College of Cardiology.Taking aspirin: Common questions.U.S. Preventative Services Task Force.Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease: Preventative medication.Merry AF, Gibbs RD, Edwards J, et al.Combined acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain relief after oral surgery in adults: A randomized controlled trial.Br J Anaesth. 2010;104(1):80-8. doi:10.1093/bja/aep338
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Concomitant use of ibuprofen and aspirin: Potential for attenuation of the antiplatelet effect of aspirin.American College of Cardiology.Taking aspirin: Common questions.U.S. Preventative Services Task Force.Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease: Preventative medication.Merry AF, Gibbs RD, Edwards J, et al.Combined acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain relief after oral surgery in adults: A randomized controlled trial.Br J Anaesth. 2010;104(1):80-8. doi:10.1093/bja/aep338
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Concomitant use of ibuprofen and aspirin: Potential for attenuation of the antiplatelet effect of aspirin.American College of Cardiology.Taking aspirin: Common questions.U.S. Preventative Services Task Force.Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease: Preventative medication.Merry AF, Gibbs RD, Edwards J, et al.Combined acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain relief after oral surgery in adults: A randomized controlled trial.Br J Anaesth. 2010;104(1):80-8. doi:10.1093/bja/aep338
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Concomitant use of ibuprofen and aspirin: Potential for attenuation of the antiplatelet effect of aspirin.
American College of Cardiology.Taking aspirin: Common questions.
U.S. Preventative Services Task Force.Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease: Preventative medication.
Merry AF, Gibbs RD, Edwards J, et al.Combined acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain relief after oral surgery in adults: A randomized controlled trial.Br J Anaesth. 2010;104(1):80-8. doi:10.1093/bja/aep338
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