MinorNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)×Proton pump inhibitors
Updated · Methodology
Mechanism
Omeprazole blocks the parietal cell proton pump and lowers the acidity against which ibuprofen leaves the mucosa unprotected by inhibiting prostaglandins. The ibuprofen label recommends exactly this: protective agents, misoprostol or proton pump inhibitors, in patients at risk. They neither compete for metabolism nor cancel each other out.
Symptoms
The pair is meant to prevent symptoms, not cause them. Worth knowing what it does not cover: omeprazole protects neither the kidney nor blood pressure nor the cardiovascular risk of the NSAID, and it does not prevent bleeding from the lower gut. Long PPI courses bring hypomagnesaemia and falling vitamin B12.
Management
The PPI is added with a history of ulcer or bleeding, older age, corticosteroids, anticoagulants or low-dose aspirin alongside. Protection does not extend the NSAID course: ibuprofen stays at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time, and omeprazole is stopped when the NSAID ends unless another indication exists.
Check the full regimen, not just this pair
Opens the checker with these two drugs prefilled. Add the rest of the regimen and recompute additive risks.
Summary of a multi-drug list →
Medicine list: everything you take in one place →
Sources
- AEMPS: Ficha técnica Ibuprofeno Cinfa 600 mg comprimidos recubiertos con película EFG (2024)– AEMPS, CIMA, nº registro 70039, secciones 4.4 y 4.5