1 May 2026Oral drugs
Ibuprofen oral
Ibuprofen guidance for pain, fever, and rheumatic disease, with age-based dosing and NSAID safety precautions.
Prescription under medical supervision
This guide page is for structured reference only and does not replace a clinician, pharmacist, or emergency review. Dose choice, route choice, interactions, and safety decisions still need professional judgment.
Therapeutic action
Analgesic, antipyretic, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID).
Indications
- Mild to moderate pain.
- Fever.
- Rheumatic diseases.
Forms and strengths
- 200 mg and 400 mg enteric-coated tablets.
- 100 mg/5 ml oral suspension with pipette graduated per kg of body weight.
Dose
Pain, fever
- Child over 3 months: 5 to 10 mg/kg 3 to 4 times daily, maximum 30 mg/kg daily.
- Child 12 years and over and adult: 200 to 400 mg 3 to 4 times daily, maximum 1200 mg daily.
- In the post-operative period, ibuprofen should be given on a regular basis every 8 hours rather than as needed.
Rheumatic diseases
- Child: up to 40 mg/kg daily maximum.
- Adult: up to 3200 mg daily maximum.
- 3 months to < 6 years and 5 to < 20 kg: 1 pipette filled up to the graduation corresponding to the child's weight 3 times daily.
- 6 to < 10 years and 20 to < 30 kg: 1 pipette filled up to the graduation corresponding to the child's weight 3 times daily or 1 tablet of 200 mg 3 times daily.
- 10 to < 12 years and 30 to < 40 kg: 1 tablet of 200 mg 4 times daily.
- >= 12 years and adult, >= 40 kg: 2 tablets of 200 mg 3 times daily or 1 tablet of 200 mg 4 times daily, or 1 tablet of 400 mg 3 times daily.
Duration
According to clinical response.
- Post-operative pain: 8 days maximum.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to children under 3 months, patients with allergy to NSAID, peptic ulcer, coagulation defects, haemorrhage, surgery with risk of major blood loss, severe renal or hepatic impairment, severe heart failure, severe malnutrition, uncorrected dehydration or hypovolaemia, or severe infection.
- May cause allergic reactions, epigastric pain, peptic ulcer, haemorrhage, and renal impairment.
- Administer with caution to elderly or asthmatic patients.
- Do not combine with methotrexate, anticoagulants, or other NSAIDs.
- Monitor combination with diuretics and ACE inhibitors and drink plenty of fluids to avoid renal failure.
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication for short-term treatment.
- Pregnancy: avoid and it is contraindicated from the beginning of the 6th month. Use paracetamol.
Dosage and duration
| Age | Weight | 100 mg/5 ml susp. | 200 mg tablet | 400 mg tablet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months to < 6 years | 5 to < 20 kg | 1 pipette filled up to the graduation corresponding to the child's weight x 3 | - | - |
| 6 to < 10 years | 20 to < 30 kg | 1 pipette filled up to the graduation corresponding to the child's weight x 3 | 1 tab x 3 | - |
| 10 to < 12 years | 30 to < 40 kg | - | 1 tab x 4 | - |
| ≥ 12 years and adult | ≥ 40 kg | - | 2 tab x 3 or 1 tab x 4 | 1 tab x 3 |
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page reproduces the structured reference information for this batch while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections.
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