Prolonged and excessive intake of this drug, a combination of ibuprofen and codeine, can cause renal and intestinal toxicity which can lead to death in some patients.
Prolonged and excessive intake of the drug Antarene Codeine, a combination of the two painkillers ibuprofen and codeine, can lead to renal and intestinal toxicity which can lead to the death of some patients, warns the Agency on Monday. National Drug Safety Agency (ANSM). “Several cases of renal, gastrointestinal and metabolic toxicity have been reported in countries where it is available without a prescription”said the ANSM in a press release.
“Toxicity”
Or “the declared cases of toxicity, which sometimes led to the death of the patient, took place in situations of prolonged intake, at doses higher than the recommended doses, in a context of abuse and dependence on codeine”, an opiate molecule like morphine, adds the agency. In detail, prolonged intake of this drug is responsible for kidney damage (kidney failure) and a significant drop in the level of potassium in the blood which can cause muscle weakness and impaired consciousness. Perforations and haemorrhages in the stomach or intestines as well as severe anemia have also been observed.
In this context, the European Medicines Agency has requested that these undesirable effects be added to the summary of product characteristics and the package leaflet, underlines the press release, recalling that in France, all medicines containing codeine are subject to a compulsory medical prescription since 2017. The ANSM recommends for its part to patients feeling “the need to consume the drug Antarene Codeine in higher doses or longer durations than recommended” to consult a doctor.
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It also recommends, when using a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, to use the minimum effective dose for the shortest duration, and to stop the treatment as soon as the symptoms disappear. And in the event of pain and/or fever, particularly in the context of a common infection such as angina or a cough, the ANSM calls on patients to favor the use of paracetamol by respecting the rules for the proper use of the drug.