Naproxen
Pronounced
"nah-PROX-en"
Drug Interactions
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Products that may interact with this drug include: aliskiren, ACE inhibitors (such as captopril, lisinopril), angiotensin II receptor blockers (such as valsartan, losartan), cidofovir, corticosteroids (such as prednisone), lithium, "water pills" (diuretics such as furosemide).
Do not take this medication with antacids or other drugs that decrease stomach acid (including famotidine, ranitidine, proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole). These products may affect the enteric coating of this drug, causing the medication to be released too quickly and increasing the risk of side effects.
This medication may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with other drugs that also may cause bleeding. Examples include anti-platelet drugs such as clopidogrel, "blood thinners" such as dabigatran/enoxaparin/warfarin, among others.
Check all prescription and nonprescription medicine labels carefully since many medications contain pain relievers/fever reducers (aspirin, NSAIDs such as celecoxib, ibuprofen, or ketorolac). These drugs are similar to naproxen and may increase your risk of side effects if taken together. However, if your doctor has directed you to take low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attack or stroke (usually 81-162 milligrams a day), you should continue taking the aspirin unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Daily use of naproxen may decrease aspirin's ability to prevent heart attack/stroke. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits. Ask about other medications that can be used to treat pain/fever.
This medication may interfere with certain lab tests, possibly causing false test results. Make sure lab personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug..
Negative Interactions
2- Potential Negative Interaction
Naproxen
Sodium
Naproxen may cause sodium and water retention. It is healthful to reduce dietary salt intake by decreasing the use of table salt and avoiding heavily salted foods.
SodiumNaproxen- Threlkeld DS, ed. Central Nervous System Drugs, Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents. In Facts and Comparisons Drug Information. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, Mar 1993, 251n-1o.
- Potential Negative Interaction
Naproxen
White Willow
White willow bark (Salix alba) contains salicin, which is related to aspirin. Both salicin and aspirin produce anti-inflammatory effects after they have been converted to salicylic acid in the body. The administration of salicylates like aspirin to individuals taking oral NSAIDs may result in reduced blood levels of NSAIDs. Though no studies have investigated interactions between white willow bark and NSAIDs, people taking NSAIDs should avoid the herb until more information is available.
White WillowNaproxen- Olin BR, ed. Central Nervous System Drugs, Analgesics and Anti-inflammatory Drugs, Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents, In Drug Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, 1993, 1172-90.
Supportive Interactions
3- Replenish Depleted Nutrients
Naproxen
Iron
NSAIDs cause gastrointestinal (GI) irritation, bleeding, and iron loss. Iron supplements can cause GI irritation. However, iron supplementation is sometimes needed in people taking NSAIDs if those drugs have caused enough blood loss to lead to iron deficiency. If both iron and naproxen are prescribed, they should be taken with food to reduce GI irritation and bleeding risk.
IronNaproxen- Bjarnason I, Macpherson AJ. Intestinal toxicity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Pharmacol Ther 1994;62:145-57.
- Threlkeld DS, ed. Blood Modifiers, Iron-Containing Products. In Facts and Comparisons Drug Information. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, Jun 1998, 62-9a.
- Support Medicine
Naproxen
Stinging Nettle
This interaction is based on this drug belonging to a drug class. While this drug may differ from the text and references below, drugs within this class work in a similar way and this interaction is applicable to drugs within the same class.
In a controlled human study, people who took stinging nettle with diclofenac obtained similar pain relief compared to people taking twice as much diclofenac with no stinging nettle. More research is needed to determine whether people taking diclofenac might benefit from also taking stinging nettle.
Stinging NettleNaproxen- Chrubasik S, Enderlein W, Bauer R, Grabner W. Evidence for antirheumatic effectiveness of Herba Urticae dioicae in acute arthritis: a pilot study. Phytomedicine 1997;4:105-8.
- Reduce Side Effects
Naproxen
Licorice
The flavonoids found in the extract of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) known as DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) are helpful for avoiding the irritating actions NSAIDs have on the stomach and intestines. One study found that 350 mg of chewable DGL taken together with each dose of aspirin reduced gastrointestinal bleeding caused by the aspirin. DGL has been shown in controlled human research to be as effective as drug therapy (cimetidine) in healing stomach ulcers.
LicoriceNaproxen- Rees WDW, Rhodes J, Wright JE, et al. Effect of deglycyrrhizinated liquorice on gastric mucosal damage by aspirin. Scand J Gastroenterol 1979;14:605-7.
- Morgan AG, McAdam WAF, Pacsoo C, Darnborough A. Comparison between cimetidine and Caved-S in the treatment of gastric ulceration, and subsequent maintenance therapy. Gut 1982;23:545-51.
Explanation Required
2- Needs Explanation
Naproxen
Copper
Supplementation with copper may enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of NSAIDs while reducing their ulcerogenic effects. One study found that when various anti-inflammatory drugs were chelated with copper, the anti-inflammatory activity was increased. Animal models of inflammation have found that the copper chelate of aspirin was active at one-eighth the effective dose of aspirin. These copper complexes are less toxic than the parent compounds, as well.
CopperNaproxen- Sorenson JRJ. Copper chelates as possible active forms of the antiarthritic agents. J Medicinal Chem 1976;19:135-48.
- Needs Explanation
Naproxen
Potassium
Naproxen has caused kidney problems and increased blood potassium levels, especially in older people. People taking naproxen should not supplement potassium without consulting with their doctor.
PotassiumNaproxen- Bailie GR. Acute renal failure. In Applied Therapeutics: The Clinical Use of Drugs, 6th ed. Vancouver, WA: Applied Therapeutics, 1995, 29-33.
- Perazella MA. Drug-induced hyperkalemia: Old culprits and new offenders. Am J Med 2000;109:307-14 [review].
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