189. Combining ibuprofen and blood pressure medications might be bad for your kidneys
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
If you take medications for high blood pressure, adding ibuprofen might increase your risk for kidney damage. In a new study published in the journal Mathematical Biosciences, Canadian researchers used computer-simulated drug trials to assess the risk of adding ibuprofen, a popular over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, to diuretics and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, which are common medications prescribed for patients with high blood pressure. They found that the combination of the three drugs was associated with a 31 percent increase in acute kidney damage compared to patients treated with the blood pressure drugs only. The researchers argue that patients taking blood pressure medications might consider using acetaminophen, or Tylenol, instead of ibuprofen for injuries and pain.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
