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Medicine safety

Can I take ibuprofen with low-dose aspirin?

Taking ibuprofen with low-dose aspirin can reduce aspirin's heart-protective effect and increases bleeding risk, so check with your doctor about timing or alternatives.

This information is for general guidance only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personal medical concerns. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Many people take low-dose aspirin daily to protect against heart attack or stroke. Ibuprofen can compete with aspirin and block its protective action on platelets if taken at the wrong time, potentially undermining why the aspirin was prescribed. Both are also NSAIDs, so combining them raises the risk of stomach irritation and bleeding.

If you must use ibuprofen occasionally while on cardioprotective aspirin, dosing advice on spacing them apart exists, but this should be guided by a doctor or pharmacist rather than self-managed. Paracetamol is often a better pain-relief choice in this situation as it does not interfere with aspirin or significantly raise bleeding risk.

Speak to your healthcare provider before regularly combining them. Seek urgent care for signs of bleeding such as black stools, blood in vomit, easy bruising, or unusual fatigue.

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