Only with a time lag: ASA and ibuprofen

Florian Tiefenböck studied human medicine at the LMU Munich. In March 2014, he joined as a student and has supported the editorial team with medical articles ever since. After receiving his medical license and practical work in internal medicine at the University Hospital Augsburg, he has been a permanent member of the team since December 2019 and, among other things, ensures the medical quality of the tools.

More posts by Florian Tiefenböck All content is checked by medical journalists.

Medicines with the active ingredient ASA are often taken in small doses to prevent blood clots. The combination with ibuprofen can lead to undesirable interactions.

Half an hour before or eight hours later

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) inhibits blood clotting by interfering with the clumping of blood platelets (thrombocytes). Medicines with this active ingredient are therefore long-term swallowed by many people in small amounts - usually 100 mg - to prevent a heart attack or stroke, for example. Doctors also prescribe ASA for example in the context of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD, "smoker's leg").

Anyone who also needs the over-the-counter pain reliever ibuprofen up to 400 mg, even if only sporadically, should make sure that there is a time gap between the two medications. The Federal Chamber of Pharmacists points this out in a press release.

The following applies: ASA either half an hour before or eight hours after taking ibuprofen. If you do not pay attention to this distance, ASA may not work sufficiently.

Be careful when buying medication

In the specialist information on ASA, the manufacturers also mention possible interactions with ibuprofen in view of the time it was taken, albeit with limited data. However, there are various preparations that dissolve in the body at different rates. Then the time interval does not work that way.

If you need ASA in long-term therapy, you should always seek advice when buying other drugs.

Without a prescription does not mean harmless

In general: Painkillers are not harmless, even if many of them are available over the counter. This is emphasized, among other things, by the Vice President of the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists, Thomas Benkert. If taken in abundance or over a long period of time, they can cause persistent headaches or affect the liver and kidneys.

There is also the risk of damage to the gastric mucosa. In some cases, this develops into an ulcer, colloquially called a gastric ulcer, which can bleed dangerously. A gastric protection agent (e.g. pantoprazole, omeprazole) is therefore important for long-term use. In addition, the constant combination of drugs - such as aspirin and ibuprofen - is not advisable, not least because of the risk of bleeding.

"Headache medication is not as harmless as it is repeatedly portrayed in advertising," says Benkert. This also includes over-the-counter drugs with active ingredients such as ASA, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen and paracetamol. They should therefore not be taken more than ten times a month and no longer than three days in a row without medical advice. (ft / dpa)

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