IBUPROFEN WARNING

Anyone who is taking a diuretic and a renin-angiotensin system (RSA) inhibitor for high blood pressure should be cautious about also taking ibuprofen, according to research from the University of Waterloo. Diuretics and RSA inhibitors are commonly prescribed together for people with hypertension, but when taken with ibuprofen could cause kidney injury, the researchers found. “It’s not that everyone who happens to take this combination of drugs is going to have problems,” said Professor Anita Layton. “Diuretics are a family of drugs that make the body hold less water. Being dehydrated is a major factor in acute kidney injury, and then the RAS inhibitor and ibuprofen hit the kidney with this triple whammy. If you happen to be on these hypertension drugs and need a painkiller, consider acetaminophen instead.”