Extra ibuprofen doesn’t mean more pain relief
By Wendy Haaf
A single 400 mg dose of ibuprofen (the recommended maximum) is just as effective at relieving pain as double that amount, according to US researchers.
In a randomized double-blind study, 225 patients who presented to the emergency department with acute musculoskeletal or skin-related pain randomly received either 400, 600, or 800 mg of ibuprofen. After one hour, the decline in average pain scores in all three groups was virtually identical.
The finding is important because the higher the dose, the greater the likelihood of side effects such as bleeding in the stomach or intestines.
Photo: iStock/Johnrob.
