Philadelphia -- A study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center suggests that ibuprofen (Motrin™, Advil™), when taken before aspirin, can inhibit the cardioprotective benefits gained from a daily aspirin regimen. These results are being presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology on Wednesday, November 1, 2000, in Philadelphia.
Aspirin is known to exert cardioprotective benefits through the irreversible inhibition of cyclooxygenase - preventing blood clot formation. "The study was designed to establish whether the cardioprotective benefits of aspirin may be affected by the timing of coincidental therapy with either a conventional pain killer, Ibuprofen (Motrin™, Advil™), a new medication for arthritis, Rofecoxib (Vioxx™), or Acetominophen (Tylenol™)," explains Dr. Francesca Catella-Lawson, clinical pharmacologist at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and lead investigator on the study.
Volunteers in the study were divided into three cohorts. Cohort A received ibuprofen prior to aspirin for six days and aspirin prior to ibuprofen for the other six days. Patients who took ibuprofen first showed a full recovery of cyclooxygenase inhibition after 24 hours -- suggesting aspirin was unable to interact with cyclooxygenase in these patients. The reverse occurred when patients took aspirin first. "Aspirin's unique cardioprotective benefits are helping save thousands of lives. We want to insure that people are not losing cardiac protection by taking competing medications prior to aspirin," states Garret FitzGerald, MD, chair of Pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania and another lead investigator on the study.
Tylenol™ and Vioxx™, two other medications commonly used for arthritis, were similarly tested in the two other Cohorts. Both groups showed no competitive interaction with aspirin.
This study was funded by the Bayer Corporation, of which, Drs. Catella-Lawson and FitzGerald hold no financial interest.