Ibuprofen Long Term Side Effects On Kidney

Use of Ibuprofen can cause many long-term side effects on kidney, like all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) class. Read about Ibuprofen and several long term side effects of this pain reliever drug on kidney.

Ibuprofen is the most commonly used pain reliever drug which works by decreasing the prostaglandin secretion. On long term use, it can cause many side effects including kidney damage. Refer this article to know about the long term side effects of ibuprofen on the kidney.

Ibuprofen is an over the counter pain reliever drug which comes under the category of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this drug as a safe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory in 1974. Primarily, it is used to treat mild to moderate pain such as headaches, muscle aches, backaches, dental pain, menstrual cramps, arthritis, and athletic injuries for the relief of everyday. Also, it is used to decrease fever and to relieve minor aches and pain due to common ailments and diseases like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Presently, ibuprofen is sold under the names Motrin, Advil, Medipren, Nuprin and others, which relieves pain and swelling (inflammation).


In the body, excessive prostaglandin secretion is responsible for pain, swelling, and fever. Ibuprofen is a generic drug which works by blocking the enzyme in body that involves in the production of prostaglandins. So, reducing the prostaglandin secretion helps to decrease pain, fever and inflammation. Like all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ibuprofen use has also several potential side effects. As per FDA, it is safe to use but some mild side effects have been proven to exist after a year or long term use. Consult your doctor immediately, if any side effect takes place.

Long term side effects are very rare but ibuprofen can cause kidney disease particularly in at-risk patients as reported in the scientific literature. Ibuprofen mostly affects two organ systems of the body: the renal (kidneys) and gastrointestinal (GI) systems. Kidney damage is resulted from the chronic ingestion of NSAIDs and it is usually reversible in many cases. Sometimes, it may also occur as the result of short term usage (i.e. one or two doses). Diabetes and dehydration are contributing factors which raise the risk of renal toxicity.
Long Term Side Effects of Ibuprofen on Kidney:

Elder people or those individuals who have pre-existing kidney disease, heart or liver dysfunction, diuretic or ACE inhibitor users or impairment in kidney are at greatest risk for ibuprofen-induced renal side effects. Kidney damage and dysfunction is usually caused by long-term use of ibuprofen. Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, ibuprofen has resulted in renal papillary necrosis and other kidney impairment, as per the “PDR Guide to Drug Interactions, Side Effects, and Indications”.


A renal papillary necrosis takes place in some individuals on long term use of ibuprofen. In this condition, parts of kidney are responsible for concentrating the urine die. Aside from damage to the kidneys, it also alters the sodium and water balance which is regulated by the kidney, having profound consequences in hot training and racing environments.

    * Acute Kidney Failure:

A single dose of ibuprofen is also responsible for sudden-onset acute kidney failure if the patient suffers from chronic kidney disease or lupus, or drinks a lot of alcohol. For acute renal failure due to ibuprofen, independent risk factors also include advanced age and childhood. Patients with reduced kidney function are not recommended to take ibuprofen, as warned by the National Kidney Foundation.

    * Analgesic Nephropathy:

Long-term use of ibuprofen and other NSAIDs cause kidney damage called as analgesic nephropathy. Analgesic nephropathy takes place in approximately four out of 100,000 people, primarily from self-medication. The analgesic nephropathy risk is related with the duration of use. Patients who have taken six or more pills per day for more than three years are on greater risk for the analgesic nephropathy.

If analgesic nephropathy occurs, then it can result in permanent kidney damage. Further kidney damage can be prevented by treating the symptoms of existing damage such as hypertension and urine protein.

    * Pre-term Babies:

Kidneys of premature babies are also affected by the effect of ibuprofen, according to the report from 2010 issue of “Pediatric Nephrology”. Studies have found that seven days of treatment with ibuprofen considerably reduces the filtration rate of blood in infant’s kidneys.