Is the ibuprofen-paracetamol combination a possible wound related problem?
Ibuprofen is known to reduce collagen cross-linking in those individuals repairing their wounds – potentially weakening the tensile strength of the skin. The effect is dose dependent and usually resolves once the medication has been ceased. In recent years there has been an increase in the use of analgesia which combines ibuprofen and paracetamol. Anecdotal reports suggest that older individuals are regular users of this type of medication often using it for treating arthritic pain. The tendency is that this dual-ingredient medication is used for prolonged periods of time and not just for acute episodes of pain. Thinking about this from a skin health perspective, some questions can be raised. Has the uptake of this type of medication resulted in an increased incidence of skin tears in the elderly who use this analgesic combination or effected their healing once skin tears have occurred? As tissue strength may be reduced by this medication, are aged residents who are at risk of pressure injury even more susceptible to this trauma if ibuprofen-paracetamol analgesia is consumed frequently?
Reference : Tanner,T Aspley,S Munn,A Thomas,T The pharmacokinetic profile of a novel fixed-dose combination tablet of ibuprofen and paracetamol. BMC Clin Pharmacol 2010;10(10):1-12. www.medscape.com/viewarticle/726027_6