Ibuprofen for COVID-19: is it really dangerous?

French public health official recently wrote in Twitter warning for 2019-nCoV coronavirus patients who take ibuprofen, reports USA Today. According to him, taking this drug can complicate the course of the disease.

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One professor told the Air Force about previous studies of ibuprofen, which showed that it worsens the condition of patients with respiratory infections. But there is no specific data on its effect on patients with COVID-19. Other experts in an interview with The New York Times rejected concerns about ibuprofen, but noted that giving up pain medications, which include ibuprofen, can really help the immune system fight the virus.

For Americans, this topic can be even more difficult to understand, because one of the alternatives to ibuprofen in Europe is called differently.

What is known in the US as acetaminophen (sold under various brand names, including Tylenol) is called paracetamol in Europe.

There is also some confusing vocabulary: ibuprofen belongs to a wider class of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs.

The European Medicines Agency reports: both acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be used to treat the fever and pain associated with COVID-19.

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Experts say little evidence, but be careful

Among the experts there is no generally accepted data on ibuprofen and COVID-19. However, many trustworthy organizations recommend caution and often offer acetaminophen as their preferred treatment.

A clear and updated guide came March 18 from the National Health Service of England. It says that there is currently no convincing evidence that ibuprofen can worsen the condition with COVID-19 disease. But while there is no additional information, it is better to take paracetamol to treat the symptoms of coronavirus infection, unless your doctor says that this medicine is suitable for you.

If you are already taking ibuprofen or another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug as recommended by your doctor, do not stop taking it without first consulting.

In another document on the treatment of COVID-19 in children admitted to the hospital, paracetamol is described as the main treatment for fever.

Also on March 18, an official from the World Health Organization confirmed that, although the organization was aware of concerns about the use of NSAIDs in the treatment of COVID-19, WHO has not yet issued any new guidelines.

“WHO collects additional data on this subject before making an official recommendation, but after a quick review of the literature, we have not found published clinical data on this topic,” said a statement from Christian spokesman Christian Lindmeier.

Lindmeier previously recommended that people treating COVID-19 infection alone should use paracetamol or acetaminophen.

Other experts say there is no evidence for this claim.

“I have not seen any clear evidence that would confirm the problem or prove that there is no problem,” said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

He also said that doctors believe that Tylenol is the best way to lower the temperature if this is the main goal of the treatment.

The lack of evidence on this issue was also highlighted on March 18 in a statement by the European Medicines Agency.

“There is currently no scientific evidence linking ibuprofen with worsening COVID-19 disease. We are following the situation and will consider any new information that will become available on this issue in the context of the pandemic, ”the statement said.

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Bottom line: not enough information

Too little information to say for sure whether ibuprofen exacerbates the symptoms of COVID-19 disease or not.

Until better data appear among healthcare professionals, you should be skeptical of reports in which incompetent people express their opinions on this issue.

Since side effects are possible with acetaminophen and ibuprofen, patients may need to call a doctor to discuss treatment options.

Fever helps the body fight infections, so only a doctor can give advice on which medicine you should take and whether you should take medicine at all.

As reported by ForumDaily:

• A new virus was discovered in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. In 2020, it covered all continents except Antarctica. On March 11, US President Donald Trump imposed a ban on entering the United States from EU countries. The ban came into force on Friday, March 13, and will last at least 30 days. In particular, it will concern people who have visited the Schengen area over the past 14 days.
• March 13 Trump due to coronavirus introduced a nationwide emergency regime in the US.
• On March 11, WHO recognized the situation with the coronavirus pandemic, which covered more than 110 countries. Symptoms of Coronavirus COVID-19 Disease Available here.
• Virologist's tips on how to protect yourself from infection - here to register:.
• Taking advantage of the panic in the society because of the epidemic, fraudsters came up with several schemes to deceive victims of personal data and money. The most common ones can be found here.
• Having succumbed to panic due to a state of emergency, Americans are massively buying toilet paperbut they cannot explain why they need it during the epidemic.
• Read all news about coronavirus in our special project.

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