Management overview for NSAID poisoning

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) available in Australia include celecoxib, diclofenac, etoricoxib, ibuprofen, indometacin, ketoprofen, ketorolac, mefenamic acid, meloxicam, naproxen, piroxicam and sulindac. Ketoprofen is only available as a modified-release preparation, and naproxen is available as both immediate-release and modified-release preparations. Ibuprofen is available in coformulation with paracetamol or codeine.

Poisonings due to NSAIDs are reasonably frequent because of their widespread availability, but they have a relatively low toxicity in acute poisoning and significant poisoning only occurs after large ingestions. Ibuprofen is the most commonly ingested NSAID in poisoning.

Management of poisonings due to NSAIDs is largely supportive care. For specific management of aspirin poisoning, see here. For the management of poisoning due to a coformulation of ibuprofen with other analgesics, see advice for both drugs (eg for ibuprofen plus paracetamol ingestion, see also Paracetamol poisoning: immediate-release preparations, and for ibuprofen plus codeine ingestion, see also Opioid poisoning: general management).