Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 15, 1991 TAG: 9102150156
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PHILADELPHIA LENGTH: Medium
But for those suffering chronic pain and inflammation, researchers said ibuprofen may be the best choice, as it has the lowest ulcer risk among the drugs studied. Those drugs belong to a prescription class called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs.
"Occasional low-dose users should not be concerned about the increased risk," said the study's lead author, Dr. Marie Griffin. "It is unlikely that taking one or 2 ibuprofen [pills] several times a month poses any significant risk."
The researchers did not study aspirin, which is also an NSAID, but said that aspirin is "at least" as risky as ibuprofen.
Ibuprofen, available without a prescription since 1985, is sold under such brand names as Advil, Medipren, Motrin and Nuprin. It has captured about 20 percent of the $2.5 billion non-prescription pain-reliever market.
The study, published in today's Annals of Internal Medicine, involved 1,415 Tennessee Medicaid enrollees hospitalized for ulcers from 1984 to 1986 and 7,063 control patients.
At recommended dosages for treating rheumatoid arthritis, NSAIDs on average quadrupled the risk for ulcers. But of the dozen drugs studied, ibuprofen showed the lowest risk, at 2.3 times, while meclofenamate increased the risk 8.7 times.
Ibuprofen is the only one of that group available in over-the-counter strength. The Vanderbilt researchers based the risk on an average dose of 1,600 milligrams daily.
The highest recommended over-the-counter dose is 1,200 milligrams a day, while the highest recommended prescription dose is 3,200 milligrams.
But even at the 1,200 milligram dose, ibuprofen probably would double a person's risk of ulcers, said Griffin.
by CNB