Flurbiprofen

Generic Name: flurbiprofen (flure BI proe fen)

Brand Names: Ansaid

What is flurbiprofen?

Flurbiprofen is in a group of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Flurbiprofen works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.

Flurbiprofen is used to treat pain or inflammation caused by arthritis.

Flurbiprofen may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about flurbiprofen?

This medicine may cause life-threatening heart or circulation problems such as heart attack or stroke. Do not use flurbiprofen just before or after having heart bypass surgery (also called coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).

Get emergency medical help if you have chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech, or problems with vision or balance.

This medicine may also cause serious effects on the stomach or intestines, including bleeding or perforation (forming of a hole). These conditions can be fatal and can occur without warning while you are taking flurbiprofen, especially in older adults.

Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of stomach bleeding such as black, bloody, or tarry stools, or coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking flurbiprofen?

This medicine may cause life-threatening heart or circulation problems such as heart attack or stroke, especially if you use it long term. Do not use flurbiprofen just before or after heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).

This medicine may also cause serious effects on the stomach or intestines, including bleeding or perforation (forming of a hole). These conditions can be fatal and can occur without warning while you are taking flurbiprofen, especially in older adults.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to flurbiprofen, or if you have:

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  severe kidney disease; or

  
  


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  a history of allergic reaction to aspirin or other NSAIDs.

  
  

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a flurbiprofen dose adjustment or special tests:

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  a history of heart attack, stroke, or blood clot;

  
  


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  heart disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure;

  
  


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  a history of stomach ulcer or bleeding;

  
  


• liver or kidney disease;


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  asthma;

  
  


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  polyps in your nose;

  
  


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  a bleeding or blood clotting disorder; or

  
  


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  if you smoke.

  
  

FDA pregnancy category C. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Taking flurbiprofen during the last 3 months of pregnancy may harm the unborn baby. Do not take flurbiprofen during pregnancy unless your doctor has told you to. Flurbiprofen can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not give this medicine to a child without the advice of a doctor.

How should I take flurbiprofen?

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

The maximum amount of flurbiprofen for adults is 400 milligrams (mg) per day. Know the amount of flurbiprofen in the specific product you are taking.

If you take flurbiprofen for a long period of time, your doctor may want to check you on a regular basis to make sure this medication is not causing harmful effects. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

Store at room temperature, away from moisture, heat, and light.

See also: Flurbiprofen dosage (in more detail)

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, drowsiness, black or bloody stools, coughing up blood, urinating less than usual or not at all, shallow breathing, and fainting.

What should I avoid while taking flurbiprofen?

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, or pain medicine. Many medicines available over the counter contain medicines similar to flurbiprofen (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, or naproxen). Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much of this type of medication. Check the label to see if a medicine contains aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, or naproxen. Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of stomach bleeding.

Flurbiprofen side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop taking flurbiprofen and seek medical attention or call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

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  chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance;

  
  


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  black, bloody, or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;

  
  


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  urinating less than usual or not at all;

  
  


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  pain, burning, or bleeding when you urinate;

  
  


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  swelling, rapid weight gain;

  
  


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  nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

  
  


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  fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; or

  
  


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  bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness.

  
  

Less serious side effects may include:

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  upset stomach, mild heartburn or stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation; bloating, gas;

  
  


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  dizziness, headache, nervousness;

  
  


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  skin itching or rash;

  
  


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  dry mouth;

  
  


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  increased sweating, runny nose;

  
  


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  blurred vision; or

  
  


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  ringing in your ears.

  
  

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Flurbiprofen Dosing Information

Usual Adult Dose for Osteoarthritis:

50 mg orally 4 times a day or 100 mg orally 3 times a day.
The largest recommended single dose is 100 mg.
Doses greater than 300 mg/day are not recommended.

Usual Adult Dose for Rheumatoid Arthritis:

50 mg orally 4 times a day or 100 mg orally 3 times a day.
The largest recommended single dose is 100 mg.
Doses greater than 300 mg/day are not recommended.

Usual Adult Dose for Pain:

50 mg orally every 6 to 8 hours as needed for pain relief. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 300 mg.

Usual Adult Dose for Dysmenorrhea:

50 mg orally 4 times a day.

What other drugs will affect flurbiprofen?

Tell your doctor if you are taking an antidepressant such as citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), or venlafaxine (Effexor). Taking any of these drugs with flurbiprofen may cause you to bruise or bleed easily.

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

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  a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin;

  
  


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  a diuretic (water pill) such as furosemide (Lasix);

  
  


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  cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune);

  
  


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  lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);

  
  


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  methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall);

  
  


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  steroids (prednisone and others);

  
  


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  aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), and others;

  
  


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  an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), and others; or

  
  


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  a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), and others.

  
  

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with flurbiprofen. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

More flurbiprofen resources

• Flurbiprofen Dosage
• Flurbiprofen Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
• Drug Images
• Flurbiprofen Drug Interactions
• Flurbiprofen Support Group
• 4 Reviews for Flurbiprofen - Add your own review/rating

• flurbiprofen Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information


• Flurbiprofen Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer)


• Flurbiprofen Monograph (AHFS DI)


• Flurbiprofen MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)


• Ansaid Prescribing Information (FDA)


• Flurbiprofen Sodium eent Monograph (AHFS DI)

Compare flurbiprofen with other medications

• Back Pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Pain
• Period Pain
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Sciatica

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about flurbiprofen.