I've injured my hip and wanted to take some anti-inflammatories such as ibruprofen. I vaguely rememberred I was told not to take them at one poiints but thought it was because I was on betablockers. But amiadarone being such a 'fierce' drug I thought I had better double check.
Anyway, I contacted my (marvellous) afib nurses and was told that I cannot take them becaue of being on APIXABAN! Which had never even occurred to me.
So I thought I'd share this with everyone, like me, who wasnt aware of this contraindication to taking a common drug - Paracetamol is fine, but not an anti-inflammatory.
Keep safe everyone
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Jajarunner
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Apart from the contraindication with Apixaban, those suffering from arrhythmias should not take Ibuprofen nor any NSAIDs as these are known to actually promote such arrhythmias.
It's a vicious circle, I was taking ibuprofen for psoriatic arthritis when I developed pulmonary embolism , my rheumatologist suggested it may be my arrythmias which created the blood clots, I am staying afloat quite well with taking one ibuprofen morning, anticoagulant at night, this was suggested by my hematologist and the cardiologist says OK. Sure, I would like to take more ibuprofen to make my life more comfortable but am getting by. It's about quality of life.
Thanks Jajarunner - Ibuprofen is such a common drug that we are inclined to feel it is safe, so it is good to have a reminder that it can enhance the anticoagulation effects of Apixaban.
I blame my AF on years of taking high-dose Ibuprofen for back pain.
Same here, although my dose was never ultra high, just pretty regular for back pain. My Primary Care doc later assured me that one would have to have taken copious amounts of ibuprofen for a long time for that to happen. If you just pop a few pills several times a week it should not cause arrhythmia. I’m not su sure....
I'm not so sure of that either. There were studies done in Holland and Denmark on the effects of Ibuprofen and Diclofenac and it was found that both drugs initiated AF in a percentage of subjects. Can't remember the details but the University of Aarhus was involved, I think. One of the recommendations was that antiflammatories should only be prescribed with care in patients over 55.
I was aware that I couldn't take anti inflammatories as I am on Riveroxaban, However last week during a flare of Rheumatoid Arthritis in my wrists , my GP agreed to my using an ibuprofen gel for pain relief short term and prescribed a 5% gel. I was delighted as it took the edge off the pain. A phone medication review with the pharmacist agreed with this also.
I read in one study that drugs like ibuprofen (NSAIDs) - even after a single dose - cause changes in the walls of the intestines that increase the chances of internal blood loss and, sometimes, to a full haemorrhage.
Only last week my Dentist told me Paracetamol was an anti inflammatory. An online search confirms this. Paracetamol has analgesic efficacy equivalent to aspirin, but in therapeutic doses it has only weak anti-inflammatory effects, a functional separation that reflects its differential inhibition of enzymes responsible for prostaglandin synthesis.
Spent 3 months ( Corona lockdown period )on my back ate ibuprofen like smarties my GP said take paracetamol..which was absolutely usless...I survived to tell the tale...
It was one of the first things I was told when I was put on anticoagulants. When my AF first started, I had achilles tendonitis and had been on Ibruprofen for about 2 months so wonder now if that may have been a contributory factor in my AF starting.
Worrying thing was last week, I had a blood vessel pop in my calf and had 2 doctors, one over the phone and one at a walk in centre tell me to take Ibruprofen, after I had just told them I was on Apixaban. When I told them it was contraindicated, they stammered and said yes, that's right, sorry, dont take it. One did suggest the Ibruprofen gel, as its not as readily absorbed but by that point, I didnt trust him so did without 😁.
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Anyone taking NSAID's while on Blood Thinners
Ibruprofen and Afib 
CoEnzyme q10 - with warfarin, beta blockers, other drugs...
what to take for inflammation when we have afib.
Is it safe to stop taking apixaban for a fortnight without replacing with a similar drug?
